


Baited

by TAFKAmayle



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Biting, Blood and Violence, Crimes & Criminals, Emotional Manipulation, Loneliness, M/M, Oral Sex, Past Abuse, Rough Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:07:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28451394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TAFKAmayle/pseuds/TAFKAmayle
Summary: Ryan happens to meet Jeremy at a bar and they have a very passionate night. Ryan is more than a little shocked to see Jeremy again as Rimmy Tim of the Fake AH Crew, when the Vagabond works a job with them. It becomes apparent that Rimmy Tim is bait for the Vagabond, drawing him in for some unknown reason. Ryan doesn’t know why they’re doing it, but finds himself more than willing to take the bait.TW: This fic contains a Ryan Haywood character.
Comments: 28
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

Ryan would have to say even with all the caution, the paranoia, and the danger, his life was pretty good. Maybe that was just because of the purple-haired head between his legs, but he thought it was pretty good beyond that too. He lived in a great apartment, made enough to buy whatever he wanted, and didn’t have a shitty boss to deal with.

The vividly colored head pulled up and a hand smacked his thigh. He hissed as he propped himself up on his elbows.

“What?!” He huffed.

“I am giving you a killer bj right now,” they grumbled, “Would you pay attention??”

“I am!” He protested.

“Do you even remember my name?!” They demanded.

He glanced away nervously. He didn’t even remember their gender, he’d gotten too wrapped up in the feeling.

“Asshole!” They snapped, sitting up, “I’m fucking leaving!”

“W-Wait, it’s Jay, right?” He sputtered, “Er, or it started with a J?”

They crossed their arms, scowling at him. 

“You got five seconds to convince me to stay,” they snorted.

“Awe, come on, I’m paying attention!” He assured them, “Look I’m still hard, aren’t I?”

“One.”

“What?”

“Two.”

“Ah, shit,” Ryan muttered, panicking a bit, “Uh, y-your name is...uh.”

_Jack? Jessica? John?_

“Three.”

_James? Surely not. Jasmine?_

“Four.”

“Jeremy! Your name is Jeremy!” Ryan blurted, “An-And you’re from Boston. You’re a mechanic. I’m not ignoring you, I promise. I’m just an idiot when I’m getting head.”

Jeremy harrumphed and crawled over him.

“Alright, I guess I forgive you,” he grumbled, leaning down, “But I said I do mechanic work not that I’m a mechanic.”

He rubbed his ass against Ryan’s cock and Ryan ran his hands up his thighs.

“What’s the difference?” He muttered distractedly.

“Difference is, I do other things too,” Jeremy explained, “Lube?”

Ryan reached over to the nightstand where he’d put the lube when he booked the room. 

“Well, this is Los Santos,” he grunted as he clicked the cap open, “I would be surprised if you _didn’t_ do something else. Do you want me to do it?”

“Obviously,” Jeremy scoffed, “I’m about to use all my strength riding you, so it’s the least you could do.”

Ryan rolled his eyes at him as he moved his lubed fingers between Jeremy’s thick thighs. He put the bottle down to squeeze one of said thighs as he rubbed lube over his asshole. Jeremy shuddered as he pushed a finger inside him. 

“So what do you do?” He questioned, “Joshua from the Midwest. You dodged the question.”

_Joshua from the Midwest? That’s what I went for?_

“I didn’t,” Ryan protested, “Who’s not paying attention now?”

He pushed a second finger into Jeremy to try to prevent him from realizing he’d just dodged it again.

“Y-You’re an asshole,” Jeremy groaned, “Just answer the fucking question.”

_Jesus, he’s persistent._

“I’m a freelancer,” Ryan answered, scissoring his fingers as he spoke.

He was trying to encourage Jeremy to stop thinking about his personal life. Jeremy leaned down and kissed Ryan, groaning in his mouth as his hips rocked against his hand. Ryan remembered why he’d taken Jeremy back to his hotel room. He was so fucking pretty. And clearly he worked out. They were about to have a very rigorous workout if he’d shut the fuck up about Ryan’s personal life. 

“You’re real good a dodging the question,” Jeremy panted against his mouth, “Could you hurry up before I die of old age?”

Ryan pushed a third finger inside him and curled them toward his prostate. Jeremy jolted and cried out as Ryan found it.

“Mouthy,” Ryan grumbled.

“Mm, you gonna teach me to be respectful?” Jeremy mused breathlessly, kissing across Ryan’s jaw, “Gonna teach me a lesson in manners, _Joshua?”_

Ryan flipped him, pulling his fingers out to lube his cock up.

“Gonna teach you how to shut the fuck up and take it, _Jeremy,”_ he growled in Jeremy’s ear as he thrust into him.

Jeremy cried out again as Ryan pushed into him, gripping at Ryan’s shoulders for support. Ryan gripped his thighs as he pulled back and slammed forward. Jeremy groaned through his teeth, sounding like he was in pain whether from the stretch or the force behind the thrust Ryan didn’t know. 

Didn’t really care either. He’d asked to be taught a lesson. Ryan was a great teacher. He bit down on his neck, hard and began thrusting quick and sharp into him. Jeremy clawed at his shoulders, letting out whiny moans as his body shook under Ryan’s. He had absolutely been shut up and he was absolutely taking it. 

Ryan shuddered at the stinging trails Jeremy was leaving on his shoulders and his tight ass around his cock. Yeah, Ryan had a pretty good life. And he already wanted to fuck Jeremy again. In the middle of fucking him. That was certainly something. The heel of Jeremy’s foot kicked Ryan’s thigh and he grunted.

“What now?!” He grumbled.

“Pay attention to me, you dick!” Jeremy huffed, “Stop going somewhere else!”

“I was thinking about fucking you again, dumbass,” Ryan growled, putting more force behind his next thrust, “I was thinking about how, unh, h-how good you are when you sh-shut the fuck up.”

Jeremy moaned in Ryan’s ear, rocking against him. _Damnit, he likes dirty talk. This is never gonna work._ Ryan grunted in annoyance, squeezing Jeremy’s thighs so tight he knew he left bruises. _Fuck him hard enough and he won’t pay attention to you not talking._

Ryan slammed into him so hard the nightstand was rattling. Jeremy was going hoarse from screaming in Ryan’s ear which he was pretty sure he was going deaf in now. Ryan fumbled for Jeremy’s cock as he felt himself getting closer and Jeremy arched into him, bucking so hard he managed to throw off Ryan’s rhythm. He gripped Ryan’s hair above the loosened ponytail and ripped out a chunk as he came, his whole body convulsing and tightening. Ryan groaned low in his throat as he quickly and sloppily followed behind him. 

He dropped over Jeremy, exhausted and Jeremy wheezed as he crushed him. He grumbled and shoved Ryan to the side. Ryan just laughed breathlessly as he rolled off him. _Fuck, vigorous workout was right._

Ryan lost his breath all over again as they laid on their sides, facing each other. He pulled Jeremy closer, brushing his fingers through his sweaty purple hair. Jeremy smiled, almost shyly at him, looking at him through his eyelashes. His face went pink as Ryan kissed him gently. Ryan felt flutters in his chest.

_ Fuck. _

~

Ryan nearly had a heart attack when he met with the Fake AH Crew the first time. Kingpin had gotten ahold of him through his convoluted messaging system that couldn’t be hacked into. He said he wanted to meet with him to discuss a possible job. He said they’d all be there, but Ryan had no reason to think this a bad idea. 

Not until he’d pulled up in front of them on his bike and recognized the short man standing in the row of six. He was wearing obnoxiously vivid colors, aviators, and a white cowboy hat, seeming to use this as a disguise. But disguise or not, Ryan wasn’t likely to forget that body that had writhed so pretty under him. Especially since it’d only been a few days. 

_ Fuck. _

“Hi, there,” the man with the curly mustache greeted, pulling Ryan from his sudden alarm, “Do you use ASL?”

Ryan was pretty sure he was Kingpin, based on his position slightly in front of the others and the full suit. Ryan nodded confirmation that he did know ASL.

“Excellent, this is Rimmy Tim,” Kingpin introduced, gesturing to Jeremy, “He knows ASL, so he can translate for you.”

“Hello!” Jeremy greeted, waving his hand.

_ What the fuck is my fucking life right now?  _

“So this is Queen, Golden Boy, Mogar, and BrownMan,” Kingpin continued, pointing to each of them respectively.

They all waved in turn. Ryan resisted the urge to wave back, barely registering the vague outline of the others. He was forcing himself to stare at Kingpin so he wouldn’t stare at Jer- _Rimmy._

“The job is now,” Kingpin announced, “So come if you’re coming or stay if you’re not. Everyone let’s load up.”

_What?!_ Ryan nearly shook his head to clear the shocked fuzz from it. No one ever treated the Vagabond like that. Casual. Almost familiar. J- _Rimmy_ approached him cautiously.

“Er, you’re with me if you’re coming,” he informed him, twirling keys around his finger, “Don’t worry, we’ll come back for your bike.”

Ryan followed him to his car and got in the passenger seat.

“Seatbelt,” Rimmy instructed, glancing at him, “I-I mean, uh, if you want.”

Ryan clicked his seatbelt in. So Kingpin wasn’t scared of him but Rimmy certainly was. He wasn’t sure if he’d be more or less scared if he knew Joshua and Vagabond were the same. But it was obvious he didn’t recognize him and Ryan hoped it stayed that way. He glanced at Rimmy who’d taken the sunglasses off to drive. 

Ryan didn’t want to kill him if he didn’t have to. It would certainly sour his reputation with them. He didn’t want to go from neutral to enemy with the Fakes just because Jeremy turned out to be a little too observant.

Ryan’s eyes drifted to the bruise he’d left on Jeremy just barely peeking over Rimmy’s blazer. Such a good lay too. It’d be a waste to kill him.


	2. Chapter 2

“Hey, Micool! Micool!” Golden Boy chirped.

“Damnit, Vagabond is on the coms, dude!” Mogar growled.

“As if “Micool” gives away your name,” Queen snorted.

Ryan was inclined to agree. What the hell was a “Micool”? 

“Micool! Million dollars, but-!” Golden Boy started.

“No!” King snapped, “Not this shit again!”

Ryan suppressed a snort of laughter as Golden Boy harrumphed. _These idiots._ Ryan glanced at Rimmy where he was crouched on the other side of the door. He was quiet, staring into space. Was he an outsider like Ryan? He looked troubled. 

“Rimmy, are you still sulking about that one nighter?” Mogar grumbled.

“I’m not sulking!” Rimmy huffed, “I’m pissed off!”

Ryan’s eyebrows went up. _One-nighter... could he mean...surely not..._

“Sulking,” Mogar insisted, “Just get over it, man. Who gives a fuck? He’s not the only cock in town.”

“You offering, Mogar?” Rimmy sneered, though his tone was too angry to really sell the joking flirt, “What kind of asshole mentions fucking again and then dips?? Fucking dickbag.”

Ryan did feel a touch guilty about that. But he’d felt a tiny crush trying to form and he couldn’t have that mess. Rimmy sighed, slumping down, anger visibly draining from his body.

“I just thought...” he mumbled, “I dunno, maybe there was something there.”

Now Ryan felt _really_ guilty. And surprised. He didn’t really expect Jeremy to care. Not _that_ much anyway. Enough to be visibly upset. _Surely he has lots of...options. He’s so pretty, surely anyone would bend over backwards for him._ The door was yanked open and Ryan clotheslined the person rushing forward. 

“Oh, Vagabond got him!” Rimmy announced, leaping up, “Here we go!”

His sadness seemed to vanish as Ryan hauled up the target, tossing him the case they’d been holding and throwing them over his shoulder. Rimmy looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Holy shit, you’re strong!” He exclaimed, “Dude, he’s got him over one shoulder! Guy must weigh 250 at least!”

“Will you put your boner away?” King hissed, “We don’t have time for your sluttiness!”

Rimmy grinned at Ryan.

“We might have time later though, right?” He joked, winking.

He stole Ryan’s breath with that mischievous grin. 

~

Vagabond was menacing in the background. Quietly hovering nearby. Watching. Ryan shifted his position, moving to the side to watch better. He stepped closer. 

“You got criticism, Vagabond?” Kingpin snapped, pointing the bloody hammer at him.

Ryan raised an eyebrow at him. _You should be careful, sir, I’ve always wanted to commit regicide._ He turned to Rimmy who jumped a bit at being focused on.

**Tell him too much,** he signed.

“Er, he says too much?” Rimmy offered.

** Can’t think. **

“Can’t think?” Rimmy relayed, sounding confused a moment before he figured it out, “Oh, I see. He means he’s in too much pain to think clearly.”

Kingpin threw his hands up.

“Everyone’s a critic,” He grumbled, “You do it then!”

He held a hand out, gesturing for Ryan to take over. Ryan rolled his eyes as he took up position in front of the quivering form in the chair. All of the bones of his right hand and arm were broken. Ryan leaned in, tipping the man’s chin back. 

“P-Please!” The man whimpered.

Ryan put a finger to the man’s lips. _Shh, not yet._ Ryan brushed his fingers over the man’s cheek. _Just relax for me._ The man whimpered as Ryan brushed his fingers through his hair. He leaned into Ryan’s hand, chasing the gentle touch. _That’s it._ Ryan rubbed his fingertips in circles on the man’s scalp. The man relaxed slightly. _There you go._ Ryan pulled his hand away and the man whimpered, leaning toward him. Ryan snapped his fingers over the man’s broken arm and he flinched.

“Harris and Robson,” he blurted, “Th-They took the money and ran to ‘Ro.”

_Good boy._ Ryan rewarded him by socking him in the face, knocking him out. He stood up straight and turned to Kingpin who had his eyebrows up. Ryan drew a knife and gestured at the man. Kingpin nodded the go ahead and Ryan stabbed the man in the heart, shoving the blade deep into his chest. He yanked it back out and wiped on on the man’s jeans before sheathing it. He turned to Rimmy who again looked startled to be focused on.

** Are we done here? **

“He wants to know if we’re done,” Rimmy translated.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Kingpin grunted, “Take him back to his bike. Ah, but take this first.”

Kingpin fished around in his suit jacket before pulling out a phone. He held it out to Ryan.

“I’m sure you’ll want to check it yourself,” he muttered, “But it can’t be tracked unless you hit the emergency button on it. We’ll call or text you when we’re ready for another job.”

Ryan wasn’t going to take it. He had a feeling Kingpin knew that since he handed it to Rimmy with a significant look. Ryan wondered if he was going try to convince him or just slip it to him. He could probably come up with some good ways to convince Ryan. Ryan watched Rimmy’s ass as they left the warehouse. He could suggest a few good ways to convince him. 

They were quiet for the drive until they got back to Ryan’s bike. Then Rimmy gripped his sleeve as he unbuckled his seat belt.

“Hey, will you do me a favor if I do one for you?” He asked.

** What favor? **

Rimmy pulled out the phone.

“You take the phone and I’ll give you a killer bj?” He offered, grinning.

Ryan really liked that exchange, but he hesitated, recalling the look Kingpin had given Rimmy as they were leaving. Did Rimmy do a lot of convincing people this way? Was Vagabond just another in a long line of men who got blown so they’d work with FAHC? 

It wasn’t that he wanted to be special or anything. He couldn’t care any less if Rimmy was FAHC’s bicycle. It was that he wanted to be blown because the other person wanted to, not because they felt they had to for whatever reason. If he wanted a business transaction, he’d hire a sex worker. 

He took the phone and exited the vehicle. 

~

“He took it,” Jeremy muttered as he reentered the warehouse.

“Really?” Geoff grunted, eyebrows going up, “I figured it would take more than once.”

“I offered to blow him, but he didn’t accept,” Jeremy added, “He actually seemed a bit annoyed by the offer. It’s hard to tell for sure with the mask though.”

_But those eyes..._ There was something there. They were so expressive and...maybe Jeremy was wishfully thinking, but it seemed like there was...familiarity there.

“He _was_ staring at your ass on the way out,” Jack spoke up.

“So then he’s definitely interested?” Geoff guessed.

“Maybe,” Jeremy answered, shrugging, “I’m not sure he’s sold on anything sexual or romantic, but he seems at least intrigued. And he was checking me out on the way in to the job. I mean, I _think_ he was?”

It was hard to tell if Vagabond had been checking him out or just assessing him as a threat. He’d seemed to linger on the bruise Joshua had given him. _Joshua..._ It was no wonder Jeremy was struggling to focus on the job with that incident having just happened. _What kind of asshole looks at you like that, like he feels that spark too and then just leaves you??_ If Jeremy saw him again, he was going to slam his boot in his nuts so hard he’d never hit and quit anyone ever again. 

“Maybe one of us should try instead?” Gavin offered.

“No, this is my job,” Jeremy dismissed.

“No offense, Lil’ J, but you seem...” Gavin started hesitantly.

“Like you’re not up to it,” Jack finished, voice and eyes full of sympathy.

“No, I can do it,” Jeremy insisted, “I’m just off because of that asshole. Next time I’ll be back in shape. Besides, it has to be me. This is _my_ job.”

_ The first job I’m leading, I can’t fuck up this early.  _

“Jeremy, you’re part of this-“ Geoff started.

“Save it, _dad,”_ Jeremy interrupted, “My job, my rules, remember? If anyone’s bait, it’s me. End of story.”

Geoff sighed, but left it.

“What about how casual we were?” Jack wondered, “He didn’t seem to have much of a reaction. It’s hard to tell if he hated it or not.”

“I think it’s working,” Jeremy grunted, “Like I said in the beginning, I bet no one’s that warm to him. I mean, he _did_ take the phone.”

“And he didn’t just straight up murder any of us,” Ray snorted.

“So let’s keep that up then,” Geoff suggested, “Everyone treat him like he’s in the crew. Let’s get another job lined up quickly.”

“Ooh, we should do the jewelry one!” Gavin chirped, “We could definitely use a Vagabond touch for that one. Oh and a bike for getaway will be useful too. Movementability, you know?”

“I think you mean maneuverability,” Jack muttered.

“You know...his bike can technically seat two,” Jeremy commented thoughtfully.

“Shit, what better way to get him between your legs?” Michael snickered.

“That’s the idea,” Jeremy laughed.

_Alright, full steam ahead, Dooley. You have a brilliant plan. You’re going to nail this job and probably Vagabond too. Forget about that blue-eyed sex machine._ Jeremy rubbed the bruise on his neck, humming in fond recollection. Maybe he’d have sex with him if he did see him again. Before he obliterated his balls. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case it wasn’t clear: this is an angst fic, but I see no reason why that wouldn’t be abundantly clear.


	3. Chapter 3

FAHC was quick to request Ryan’s services again. Almost _too_ quick in Ryan’s opinion. Usually when he displayed his skills, the hirers backed off. But FAHC some how seemed less scared of him as he met up with them the second time. 

They were all lounging about like they couldn’t care any less about waiting for him. Actually they looked like they didn’t even care about the job. The quiet one was laying over the roof their car playing a gameboy that looked older than him. The idiot and the angry one were on the hood of the same car, heads together as they watched a video on a phone, sharing one pair of earbuds. Kingpin was in the drivers seat, feet out the window while talking to the woman in the passenger seat.

Rimmy was laying in the backseat. The door at his feet was open while he leaned his head against the other, hat tipped down over his eyes. His hands laid over his chest which rose and fell evenly, deeply. That was fine. Absolutely adorable, but fine. 

The problem was his knees were spread across the coasts. One leg was propped up, leaning against the back of the seat while the other was hung off the edge of the seat. Ryan felt like he was being invited to push up between Rimmy’s thick thighs and fuck him hard enough to dislodge the idiots all over the car. 

“Look alive, idiots!” Kingpin barked as Ryan pulled up on his bike.

Ryan frowned as he stopped next to the car, putting down a foot to keep it steady. He watched the idiots as they all started moving around. His math wasn’t adding up right. There weren’t enough seats for all of them let alone for Ryan too. He watched Rimmy, who slipped a strap over his head, settling an assault rifle on his back, as he approached him and realized with sudden mind-blanking clarity that his bike could seat two people. 

“Alright, V, Rimmy will guide you,” Kingpin called as he started the car, “Try not to die.“

Ryan was again surprised by the almost familiar tone from the man. It wasn’t disrespectful necessarily, just...casual. Ryan couldn’t decide if he hated it or enjoyed it. No one acted like that to Vagabond. And of course Ryan didn’t get out much, so no one really acted like that to him either. His thoughts on it were interrupted as Rimmy mounted his bike. 

_ Right. Back to work. _

Rimmy pressed up close to him, no hesitance as he wrapped his arms around Ryan’s waist. His inner thighs squeezed against Ryan’s outer thighs and his crotch was pressed snugly to Ryan’s ass. This was really more than just being casual. This was... _familiarity._ Did he know? Ryan thought back to the phone incident as he zipped from the parking lot. No. No, this was just another FAHC bicycle move. Was it really about work or was this just part of his personality? He’d certainly been very flirtatious at the bar too, when chatting Ryan up.

Rimmy directed him to a museum where he had him park out back. 

“I’m going in, I’ll come down and open the back door for you,” he explained as they dismounted, “You seem like you’d be good going in the back door.”

He grinned and winked at Ryan before handing him the rifle from his back and moving to the museum. _He’s not afraid any more._ Or else he was doing a better job at hiding it. Ryan watched the man climb up onto a window ledge and then proceed to hoist himself up to another. 

He appeared to be basically scaling the building with gloves and boots as his only equipment. _How the hell is he doing that?? How the hell is he doing it in those ridiculous jeans??_ Jeans that made his ass look great, by the way. He also didn’t lose the cowboy hat. Practically seemed glued to his head.

He jimmied the lock on one of the windows and slipped inside. Ryan stood at the ready with the rifle, suddenly realizing they hadn’t really bothered to tell him what the hell was going on. Nor what exactly his job was. He hadn’t asked either, hadn’t even _thought_ about it until Rimmy was out of view. _Fuck, I’m getting distracted...need to focus._

Suddenly, there was a commotion at the front of the building and Rimmy opened the employee exit. 

“Let’s get a move on, handsome!” He called out.

_You have got to tone it down, buddy._ Ryan joined him, handing over the rifle as he drew his handgun. Rimmy put the rifle on his back again and jogged through the museum. Ryan kept up with his shorter strides easily, watching his back as he pulled a walkie from his waistband. 

“Rimmy and Vagabond, en route,” he grunted into the thing.

“You’ve got ten minutes,” Gold’s voice came from the walkie.

“What’re we gonna do with the other eight?” Rimmy joked.

“Two Minute Tim,” BrownMan spoke up.

Rimmy laughed as he clipped his walkie back to the belt and turned into a room. It was filled with display cases displaying several large jewels of vastly different colors and sizes. Rimmy tossed him something, which he caught automatically. It was a small cloth bag and a metal tool, to jimmy the glass cases.

“If it’s bigger than one of your balls, it’s coming with us,” Rimmy informed him, “You start left, I’ll start right, we’ll meet at the crown jewel.”

_Getting bolder by the minute._ Ryan turned to begin getting the jewels collected. He took the measurement rule probably too seriously and collected up two emeralds, a topaz, and a diamond before he met Rimmy in the middle. The final jewel was light blue, nearly the size of his entire fist. The case labeled it the Marina Diamond and it had more security than the others. 

“It’s actually aquamarine,” Rimmy muttered as he fiddled with the lock, “The bitch who first had it was convinced it was a rare diamond. And I mean bitch, not lady. She was awful. Actually killed people over it. Not the only one. Loads of people have gone crazy over this thing.”

There was a click and he shifted to disable the fingerprint lock.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” He murmured absently, “Don’t know if it’s “go crazy” pretty, but i guess, we _are_ stealing it.”

_Bit of a chatterbox, aren’t you?_ There was a beep and Rimmy moved, taking something from his blazer. A replica of the jewel wrapped in silk cloth. 

“Okay, we gotta Indiana Jones this,” he muttered, “You stand behind me and lift the case. Then I swap the jewels and you put it back down as quickly as possible. I’m talking seconds here or we get locked in this room. Sound good?”

Ryan nodded and Rimmy took his hat off and unbuttoned his blazer. He took the walkie out as they shifted into position.

“We’re ready when you are, G,” he spoke into it.

“Alright, I’ll count you off,” Gold answered.

Ryan tried not to clear his throat nervously as he stood behind Rimmy. They were nearly pressed together, Ryan’s arms on either side of Rimmy, trapping him between his body and the case. Rimmy’s hands hovered in front of the case as Ryan’s hovered to either side. They were so close Ryan could feel his body heat and smell his cologne which had a floral, woody sort of scent Ryan didn’t recognize. His eyes trailed over Rimmy’s neck and he almost gave in to the urge to lean down and press his face into his skin. 

“Alright, three,” Gold spoke from the walkie, nearly making Ryan jump in surprise, “Two...one!”

Ryan lifted the case, Rimmy swapped the jewels, and Ryan replaced the case. It happened so fast Ryan was pretty sure blinking would’ve made him miss it. 

“Success!” Rimmy announced cheerfully as he turned.

He looked up at Ryan, where they were standing mere inches apart and his eyebrows came together in a thoughtful expression. He held the jewel up next to Ryan’s face while Ryan stared down at him in confusion. _What is he doing?_

“Huh,” Rimmy grunted, “What a coincidence.”

Ryan frowned, raising an eyebrow.

“It matches your eyes,” Rimmy commented quietly.

Ryan was not sure how to respond to this as their eyes locked and his throat went dry. Jeremy’s beautiful eyes seemed to stare through the Vagabond directly into Ryan’s soul. _Does he know?_

“Rimmy, what’s taking so long?” Gold spoke up from the walkie.

Rimmy jumped a little, finally tearing his eyes from Ryan’s and his face went pink. He cleared his throat, shaking himself a bit as he grabbed the walkie.

“We got it,” he muttered as he tucked it away, “On our way out.”

He swiped his hat from the ground and they jogged back the way they’d come. He was uncharacteristically quiet as they got to Ryan’s bike and started off. He even seemed hesitant to press against Ryan again. 

“Okay, now we help our friends split up the heat,” he informed Ryan as he moved the gun off his back, “Take ‘er ‘round front.”

Something squeezed in Ryan’s guts as he rode around front. _Friends._ He mentally shook himself. He was getting distracted again. Rimmy was a bad influence. He needed to back off. He drove them into thefighting and they passed most of the rest of FAHC in their car, heading in different directions to split up the pigs. Rimmy fired into the squad cars, gripping Ryan’s shoulder for support. Adrenaline was really kicking in now as Ryan wove through the pigs and the streets while Rimmy fired and whooped behind him.

~

Ryan was grinning as he and Rimmy got to the meeting point. He shouldn’t have been, probably. They were covered in sweat, gunpowder, and blood, having just caused a lot of damage to property and people too. But Rimmy was grinning too, so maybe it was alright to be riding that high. He took his hat back off, running his fingers through his sweaty hair as he plopped down next to Ryan’s bike.

“Vagabond, you really know how to handle a bike,” he laughed, a bit loud, “And I think I like you between my legs.”

Ryan puffed out a surprised laugh as he swung his leg over to sit side-saddle on his leather seat. He really had completely lost his hesitance. No one was ever so bold with the Vagabond. Rimmy looked up and him with that heart-stopping mischievous grin. With the hat off and his purple hair sweaty, he reminded Ryan of that intimate moment they shared after he absolutely wrecked him. There was a bit of blood splattered on his cheek that ruined the recalling of the memory though. Ryan reached for his face, swiping his thumb through the blood to clean it off. 

Jeremy blushed as Ryan cupped his jaw. He looked down and away, hiding his beautiful brown eyes behind his pretty eyelashes. Ryan’s heart pounded in his chest. Jeremy had been right, there could be something, he realized. If he took the step, there could be something significant between them. They were compatible, physically and mentally. Even as partners in crime they fit together. And Jeremy could take care of himself, wouldn’t have to be protected from Vagabond’s enemies. It would be easy to start it too. Hell, all he had to do was take off the fucking mask. 

But maintaining it? Ryan was exhausted just thinking of trying to keep up with a relationship. He let go of Rimmy’s face and looked at the ground, leaning his forearms onto his knees. No, he didn’t want that. He didn’t want to even _try._ He wasn’t a very good boyfriend and certainly he didn’t have time for it. Rimmy, it seemed, could read him like a book.

“Listen, it...doesn’t have to be like that,” he murmured, shifting to turn more toward Ryan, “We can just be physical if you want. I know you feel this sexual tension. We could cut it with a fucking knife.”

He tugged Ryan’s jacket sleeve and fished something from his blazer. He held it out to Ryan. A hotel room key.

“I’m staying at the hotel over on Fifth while they renovate my apartment,” he explained, “I’ll be there for at least a week. So...think about it, okay?”

Ryan hesitated before taking the key. Rimmy grinned at him when he did and Ryan was pretty sure he was going to be at the hotel room before Rimmy. 

~

Jeremy sighed as he slipped into the crew car, rubbing at his face tiredly.

“Well?” Geoff prompted as he pulled onto the road, “What happened?”

“He took it,” Jeremy grunted, “Dunno if he’s gonna use it, but he’s definitely 100% into me. He looked like he wanted to take the mask off just to kiss me. Popped a boner when I gave him the key.”

“I mean, I guess it’s working?” Jack offered, “Even if he doesn’t fuck you, he’s still being drawn in.”

“Yeah, but now I’m horny,” Jeremy jokingly grumbled.

The crew laughed and Jeremy smiled tiredly. He looked out the window, quietly pondering Vagabond. Pondering that brief moment when Vagabond’s eyes had been soft and gentle as he held Jeremy’s face. He’d started to suspect something weird was going on when he was comparing the jewel to his beautiful eyes, but then Vagabond had held his face, eyes soft and Jeremy knew.

_It’s him. It has to be him._ It was impossible for those eyes to be identical on two different people. Vagabond was Joshua or rather he was whatever Joshua’s real identity was. _What are the fucking odds?? Small world._ It certainly explained why Joshua had fucked off into the great blue yonder too. Obviously he couldn’t risk any emotional connection when he was the fucking _Vagabond._

That same connection was there between them, but even stronger with Vagabond. They’d coordinated the Indiana Jones move so perfectly and Vagabond’s driving and his shooting were so fluid the way it worked. They were on the same frequency, the same wavelength. Sure, right now they weren’t anything, but the potential was there. With time and earning each other’s trust, they could be two parts of a well-oiled machine. Perfect partners.

What a happy coincidence that Jeremy just so happened to be looking to draw the man in. This was going _way_ better than planned, way faster too. He puffed out a relieved sigh. Thank god this would be over sooner rather than later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This situation seems totally fine and not conducive to bad things at all.
> 
> Side note: All of my RTAH fics containing Ryan Haywood characters are now tagged as Original Work in an effort to remove them from the fandom which clearly has no room for them. As long as the character I'm using is based off of any character portrayed by Ryan Haywood, I will continue to use the name. This is for clarity's sake, in an effort to be sure a person knows before beginning to read, that the character will resemble the rl Ryan Haywood in some way.


	4. Chapter 4

Ryan stared at the keycard, flipping it through his fingers as he considered. It had been long enough that he was pretty sure Jeremy wouldn’t recognize his dick immediately. Remembering to put on a condom this time might help too. If he kept all this clothes on, there wouldn’t be anything else for Jeremy to recognize. He should be safe from Jeremy remembering. _Should._

But the more Ryan sat there, looking at the key, the more uncertain he became about everything else. It was suspicious, Rimmy’s sudden change in attitude toward Ryan. He’d been so nervous around him at first, but then suddenly he was flirting and inviting him over to fuck. Sure, they’d displayed amazing compatibility and Rimmy was obviously a naturally flirtatious man, but...why would he be that way with the Vagabond? 

Ryan considered the behavior of all of the Fakes. So casual. Like they’d immediately accepted him as one of them. It was suspicious. No one acted that way toward him, not since before the Vagabond became a feared name. Even in the beginning, before his reputation got big, people found him unnerving and scary. Tried to distance themselves from him as much as possible. But not FAHC.

It was almost like they were trying to be friendly to him. Why? Did they actually think he would become their friend? And if they did, what purpose would that serve them? Did they think he’d work with them more? Did they think he would be open to recruitment? And what about Rimmy?

“What about Rimmy?” Ryan sneered to himself.

Did he actually want to fuck Ryan or was he just part of this whole being Ryan’s friend thing? Ryan sighed and opened his car door. It didn’t matter. He was going in to fuck Rimmy regardless. He couldn’t get the man’s stupid pretty thighs and beautiful eyes out of his head. He knew this was a bad idea, he knew he’d probably regret it, and he knew there was something off about the situation. But he was still going to do it. Because he was lonely and Rimmy was hot.

He went in the side entrance of the hotel to avoid the front desk and any observant eyes that might notice a man wearing a black skull mask. He took the stairs, for the same reason, up to the fourth floor and found himself in front of Rimmy’s door. 424 was the number on the door, matching the number on the key. Ryan hesitated a moment before he slipped the key in the lock and opened the door.

Rimmy was on the balcony, still in the orange shirt and the stupid yellow jeans. He was leaning on the railing, bent over with his ass pointed right at the door. He stood up straight as the door closed and his short, colorful figure was framed by the dark city that laid past the balcony. He had one hand around a whiskey glass that rested on the railing. Ryan approached him slowly, still considering if he should turn around and go home. But Rimmy made such a convincing argument for staying with his body.

“I think you’re a bit late,” he mused as Ryan stopped behind him.

_Well, I had to shower._ Ryan couldn’t stop himself from pressing against him, his arms going around his waist and the mask pressing to his ear. Rimmy puffed out a shaky little sigh, head tilting as Ryan’s fingers unfastened his jeans. 

“We should...go inside,” he muttered breathlessly.

Ryan pulled back and Rimmy turned, gripping his shoulders to leap into his arms. Ryan carried him inside, pausing to shut the balcony door before taking him to the bed and dumping him on it. He pulled his shirt over his head and practically had to peel his jeans off while Ryan watched impatiently. Once he was naked, he laid back, spreading his legs. Ryan’s eyes trailed over his body, lingering on his thighs and his half-hard cock between them.

“How...much of you do I get to see?” Jeremy asked carefully.

**You get to see one thing.**

“Don’t suppose I get to choose?” Jeremy joked.

Ryan snorted, rolling his eyes as he knelt on the bed between Jeremy’s legs and pulled the bottle of lube from his jacket. Jeremy settled back, laying flat as Ryan rubbed lube over his asshole. He hummed, apparently completely relaxed as Ryan pressed a finger inside him, but otherwise was quiet for a change. Ryan smoothed his free hand over Jeremy’s thigh as he fingered him, watching him shudder and groan quietly. 

_God, he’s pretty._ Ryan’s hand moved over his hip and up his side to his pec where he squeezed lightly. He had two fingers in him, moving at a steady pace by this point and Jeremy was huffing out impatient little grunts. Ryan pinched Jeremy’s nipple between his thumb and index finger and pressed a third finger inside him, reveling in the pained hiss from Jeremy. Jeremy moaned, back arching and hands gripping the sheets tightly. 

“Okay, okay, I’m, _ah,_ I’m ready!” He announced shakily, as his hips tried to grind down on Ryan’s fingers.

Ryan pulled away to get his belt and jeans open and Jeremy propped himself up to watch him get his cock free. Ryan worried about recognition, but Jeremy’s hooded eyes watched him with no negative reaction to it. In fact, the only reaction he had was the positive one of his legs lifting and spreading wider. Ryan shuddered, struggling to focus on getting a condom and lube on. _He wants it so bad._

He leaned over Jeremy as he shuffled into position, impatiently shoving Jeremy’s legs up further. Jeremy tensed as the head of Ryan’s cock pushed inside him and Ryan paused, puffing out a shaky breath as he waited for Jeremy to relax again. Jeremy puffed out a few shaky breaths of his own, gripping at the shoulders of Ryan’s jacket as he relaxed. He nodded Ryan on and Ryan slowly pushed forward until he was flush with Jeremy’s ass. Their eyes met and a zap of electricity went through Ryan, his breath catching in his throat as they stared in each other’s eyes.

Then Jeremy pushed suddenly, twisting them and shoving Ryan onto the bed. Ryan started to sit up, scowling, but Jeremy’s hand pressed in the center of his chest, holding him down. Ryan probably could’ve gotten away, but the dark look in Jeremy’s eyes pinned him better than his hand did. 

“Relax, baby, I’ll do all the work,” he whispered.

Ryan shuddered, hands smoothing up Jeremy’s thighs. _Okay, I can live with that._ Jeremy’s body lifted and lowered slowly a few times before he really started moving. Ryan groaned, gripping at Jeremy’s hips as he fucked himself on his cock. _He feels so good._ He was so hot and tight, ass squeezing and pulsing around Ryan as his hips rolled against him. His whole body writhed on Ryan’s cock and he moaned, eyes fluttering closed. 

His hand went for his own dick, but Ryan batted his hand away to jerk him off himself. Jeremy moaned again, pace picking up as Ryan wrapped his hand around his cock. Ryan was awestruck, everything going on autopilot a moment as he stared at Jeremy. His body was twisted up, his thighs flexed with each roll of his hips, his flushed face was drawn up in pleasure, and some of his sweaty, purple hair hung over his forehead. Ryan was breathless. _He’s so beautiful._

Jeremy’s face twisted up further and he bore down on Ryan as he came over his shirt. Ryan gripped his hips and twisted him, pressing him into the bed as he quickly and sloppily thrust into him. He choked on a shout, pressing hard against him as he came. He dropped over him, bracing himself on his forearms and pressing the mask into Jeremy’s neck. 

The floral woody scent of Jeremy’s cologne was fighting with the salty smell of his sweat in Ryan’s nose as he tried to catch his breath. He wanted to bury his nose directly in the conflicting scents and press his lips to Jeremy’s neck. Obviously he couldn’t do that and keep the mask on. He suppressed the urge to rip the thing off and sat up to clean up their mess.

“Don’t suppose you’re a stay and cuddle sort?” Jeremy murmured hopefully as Ryan tossed the condom.

Ryan snorted as he grabbed tissues and started wiping his shirt and Jeremy’s belly. 

“Well, at least you’re a gentleman,” Jeremy snorted.

Ryan rolled his eyes as he tossed the tissues. He looked down at his still noticeably stained shirt.

“You’re gonna have to zip up your jacket,” Jeremy laughed. 

Ryan threw him an unamused look and Jeremy just laughed, his beautiful eyes dancing with sparkling mirth. Ryan found himself cupping Jeremy’s cheek, entranced by his beauty yet again. The mirth died down and Jeremy blushed, eyes dropping shyly. Ryan hesitantly pulled the mask up enough to bare his mouth and leaned down to kiss Jeremy lightly. Jeremy jolted in surprise and Ryan pulled away quickly, replacing the mask and standing. _That was fucking stupid! He could’ve recognized you!_

“See you at work, V,” Jeremy called softly as Ryan started for the door.

Ryan paused, hesitating a moment as the desire to stay and his loneliness screamed inside him. _Stay stay stay._ He left.

~

Jeremy stared at the wall for awhile after Vagabond left. Everything really was progressing quicker than planned. He really hadn’t expected Vagabond to use the key the first night. He’d expected him to go home and talk himself out of it then get more desperate for it as the days passed until he finally broke down night six and fucked Jeremy as hard as he had as Joshua. 

Jeremy’s phone went off and he sat up, stretching out his back then getting to his feet. He pulled his phone from the ridiculously tight jeans to see it was Geoff calling. _Of course._

“Hey, I’m alive,” Jeremy answered the phone as he yanked his underwear on.

“Are you okay?” Geoff asked immediately, tone filled with worry, “Ray said he left five minutes ago and you hadn’t called.”

“I’m fine,” Jeremy assured him as he struggled to get his jeans on.

“He didn’t try anything...” Geoff asked, trailing off.

“Freaky?” Jeremy guessed as he finally got his jeans over his ass, “No, he wasn’t even rough. Actually seems like a decent partner.”

Geoff puffed out a sigh of relief.

“Seriously, you worry too much,” Jeremy snorted, grabbing his shirt from the ground.

“This plan is just...I don’t like it,” Geoff admitted, “I don’t like you doing this, putting yourself in danger like this.”

Jeremy’s heart squeezed and he smiled softly. 

“I’m okay, really,” he murmured, a bit weakly.

“Jeremy, let’s put someone else on it,” Geoff started firmly.

“Geoff, it’s my job,” Jeremy reminded him, “My rules. My decision.”

_My Vagabond._ Jeremy blushed, shaking that stupid thought from his head. 

“Besides, it’s too late to switch,” he dismissed as he got his shirt on around the phone, “He’s already fucked me. There’s no stopping it now.”

He stepped out on the balcony to pick up his whiskey while Geoff was quiet, probably trying to come up with some way to get Jeremy out of this. Jeremy waved at the window Ray was in while he waited for Geoff’s excuses and suggestions to come pouring out.

“Jeremy, are you sure about this?” Geoff asked softly.

Jeremy was surprised he had given up so soon. He braced his forearms on the balcony railing, suddenly feeling a heavy weight on his shoulders. He watched the dark streets of Los Santos silently for a moment. Then he took a drink, reveling in the burn of the alcohol in his throat.

“I’m sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Because I Was Lonely and He Was Hot” is the title of my autobiography.


	5. Chapter 5

Ryan almost wanted to just turn around and leave when he pulled up to the meeting place with FAHC. They were there first again, despite the fact he’d tried to show early. There were four cars lined up with the various idiots spread between them. But only one of the cars had a hood up and only one idiot was bent over, looking under it. 

They’d strategically placed Jeremy several feet from the others, effectively separating him from the pack. Obviously a lone wolf would be easier prey. His orange shirt had also conveniently ridden up to show off the edges of his tramp stamp. An alluring sight, especially above the great ass in the tight yellow jeans. 

_Bait._ That’s what Ryan was looking at: a piece of meat in a bear trap. This was incident three Jeremy was being very specifically alluring. Three was a pattern. _I knew something was off, but why this?_ What was their end goal exactly? What was he being baited into? What good would him fucking Jeremy actually do for FAHC? He might’ve been able to understand some motivation behind the friendliness, but what did Jeremy’s ass have to do with anything? 

“Look alive, idiots,” King called out again as Ryan parked his bike.

He dismounted and started for them, watching as Jeremy pulled out of the hood. He reached up to slam the hood back down and his shirt rode up enough that Ryan could see the tattoo fully. It was a lotus flower in the center of his lower back with a pair of fishhooks, hooked together directly under it, nearly touching the bottom petals. Each hook had a fishing line in its eye that curled up beside the flower and stretched outward on either side, ending in a little curl. 

Ryan thought the fishhooks were a little on the nose for his bait.

Also, he didn’t realize he was making a beeline straight for Jeremy until he was already only a foot away. The only reason he did notice he’d gotten so close was because he’d almost reached for the tattoo to trace the curly fishing lines, but was interrupted by Jeremy tugging his shirt back in place. Ryan nearly cleared his throat out loud, glancing away. Then Jeremy turned and jumped a bit, squeaking adorably as he bumped into the car.

“Jesus, you scared the shit out of me!” He huffed, clutching his chest, “You really are silent!”

He recovered quickly and grinned up at Ryan.

“Did ya miss me, V?” He teased.

Jeremy was quite possibly the most irresistible bait in the entire universe. He was so damn pretty, good with his body, fun to work with, capable as hell, and he was tuned to Ryan’s frequency. But he was _still_ bait. Ryan should kill all of FAHC on principle. Starting with the pretty piece of meat. He stepped closer to Jeremy, considering. Jeremy looked up into his eyes and his grin dimmed. 

“What is it?” He asked, eyebrows coming together.

If Jeremy was bait, didn’t that mean they had some plan? Plans took time. Time Ryan could spend playing with Jeremy. After all, he could take FAHC when the trap sprung. He could risk a little danger for a little fun. His eyes trailed down Jeremy’s torso to where his shirt was skewed, showing a thin strip of his belly. A _lot_ of fun. The loneliness that had been wailing inside him the past five days screamed its approval of this plan. Maybe it would shut the fuck up for awhile if he sated its hunger with Jeremy’s body. Ryan took Jeremy’s chin in hand and leaned closer, looking deep into his concerned eyes. 

Besides, wouldn’t it be rude to decline what was being offered? 

“If you two are done,” King called out, “We have a job.”

Ryan shot him a glare. _Do not interrupt me. Isn’t this what you want anyway? Didn’t you offer him up as bait?_ He felt a surge of anger, suddenly wondering if they’d _made_ Jeremy do this. He pulled his hand back from Jeremy, twitching toward one of his knives, but Jeremy tugged at his jacket. He looked back around at him, anger melting somewhat and Jeremy stood on his toes to kiss the cheek of the Vagabond mask. Ryan blushed, but it was only a little, so it didn’t count. _He...he kissed the mask._

“V, you’re with BMan,” King announced, tossing something at Ryan.

Ryan caught the key ring without looking, frowning at Jeremy. _BrownMan? Why would I be with him?_ Why wouldn’t he be with his bait? What was the point of all this if they were going to separate them? His fist clenched around the key ring. 

“Oh, right, I’ve gotta change,” Jeremy grunted, slipping away from Ryan.

He pulled his shirt over his head as he moved around the car and Ryan bit his tongue. First of all, obviously Jeremy’s back was muscled and attractive like his front. Second, there were scars all over it. Scars Ryan wondered how he didn’t notice. But now that he thought about it, Jeremy never really had his bare back to him, had he? 

Ryan wanted to touch those scars. Trace them with his fingers and his lips and his tongue. Figure out what each was from. Catalogue them. He wanted to know what it felt like to press the scars on his own torso against them as he held him closely. It wasn’t until Jeremy ducked in the car that he realized he’d just been standing there, staring at the man like some hungry pervert for at least a solid minute. And also BrownMan was standing three feet from him watching him do this. 

“You’re my ride, man,” he muttered.

Ryan couldn’t resist the urge to clear his throat as he gestured for BrownMan to lead the way. He did manage to resist the urge to look back at Jeremy as he was led down the line to the last car. All four were all identical, he was realizing now that Jeremy was out of sight. _Distracting..._

~

Ryan gave up trying to stop himself from pacing back and forth. BrownMan watched him go with tired, but wary eyes. Their part of the job had been easy. BrownMan was sniping as usual, Ryan was watching his back. They were practically silent the whole time. 

Normally, Ryan would have loved that. But that day, Ryan could’ve used a distraction to take his mind off Jeremy. Bending over to entice him, showing off his tattoo, then showing off his more appealing scars. Ryan had a brand new list of things to think about obsessively while he was doing the non-job of guarding a sniper on an empty office building in the middle of the night.

He was trying to be rational, but the last five days had keyed him up more than he cared to admit. He’d kept pulling the hotel key out, flipping it around his fingers and wondering if Jeremy had been giving him an open invitation. And he’d been pressing his nose into his jacket, chasing Jeremy’s scent retreating from it. There had also been a boring, dull job that had lacked... _saturation_ that certainly didn’t help. Not to mention the loneliness wouldn’t stop howling for Jeremy when he was trying to sleep. 

Somehow figuring out it was a trap didn’t deter him from his attraction to Jeremy, either. Actually, it might have made it worse. Some sort of power play aspect got added to it, he thought. The idea of getting the cheese and still escaping the trap, outsmarting those trying to trap him. 

Though, in the end, it wasn’t like Ryan would end up keeping the cheese. It wasn’t some fairytale. In the end, FAHC would spring the trap and Ryan would deal with it however he had to. And any way it turned out, continuing a relationship with Jeremy would not be an option. Which meant he had to get as much as he could now and after spending all night thinking about him, he was getting more and more impatient to do so. 

The whole thing was bubbling close to a boil as he waited for the rest of the idiots to roll in. He had to stop himself from full on sprinting to Jeremy when he showed up. He still hurried to his side, though managed to make it look like he was asking if the job was done with ASL and Jeremy grinned up at him. He had blood on him again and his face was flushed. He was obviously on an adrenaline high and Ryan wanted to use that to his advantage. 

“Yeah, job done,” Jeremy confirmed, “But you down to stick around for a bit?”

Ryan nodded, trying not to look too eager and followed Jeremy to the hood of his car where they sat to wait for the rest of the idiots to leave. Jeremy leaned back and looked up at the night sky, kicking his feet idly as they waited. Ryan wondered how a piece of bait could look so pretty. Wondered again if they were making him do this. 

It didn’t seem like something they’d do. FAHC was all about being a family or something stupid like that. So Jeremy was probably willing. But how willing? Again, it really didn’t matter, but Ryan was curious how much of it Jeremy had to fake. Wondered how much he didn’t want to do this.

“Well, that’s the last of them,” Jeremy announced, standing up.

Ryan sat up straighter, worries forgotten as Jeremy stood in front of him. He was grinning mischievously again, hands going to Ryan’s belt. _Wait, here?? He wants to do it here??_ They weren’t in a heavily populated area, but it was still public. A jolt went through Ryan, a thrill at the idea. _Am I an exhibitionist?_ He wondered as Jeremy got his jeans open and sank to his knees. He hadn’t thought he was, but as Jeremy pulled his cock free, it hardened quickly, unhindered by their location. 

“So quiet, V,” Jeremy teased, “You nervous?”

Ryan grunted, hips twitching impatiently toward Jeremy’s face. Jeremy was absolutely delighted at his impatience, eyes dancing in the light of the distant streetlight. _Little shit._ Jeremy licked up the underside of his cock and the sight of him doing so sent hot waves of arousal through Ryan. He thought he would burst if he waited too much longer. _Please, Jeremy. Please!_ Jeremy’s mouth closed around Ryan who leaned back as he pushed forward to give him more space. 

Jeremy choked and Ryan fell back, bracing his elbows on the hood of the car as he tried not to thrust upward. Jeremy pulled back, sucking lightly and Ryan moaned. Jeremy pushed forward again, pulling back as he choked and Ryan felt so pathetically desperate as Jeremy bobbed on his cock. One of his hands brushed through Jeremy’s hair as little grunted nnh’s and ah’s huffed out of his mouth. 

_I have literally the best life._ He should be mad, he knew, that he was being baited, but who could be mad with Jeremy’s hot, tight throat squeezing their cock. Besides, so far FAHC was doing more good than harm. They got him great paying jobs and offered up the best cocksucker in town. _Really, I should thank them._

Jeremy smacked his thigh and Ryan grunted, opening his eyes to glare down at him. Jeremy tried to pull off, scowling, probably to scold Ryan for not paying attention again, but Ryan’s hand fisted in his hair and his hips thrusted up. Jeremy choked and Ryan winced, feeling immediately guilty. But his guilt was short-lived when Jeremy’s eyelids fluttered and his moan vibrated around Ryan’s cock. 

Ryan groaned back as he started fucking into Jeremy’s throat, pleased with his enjoyment of the rough treatment. He forgot Jeremy was a masochist. Forgot how good it felt to shut up his complaining with his cock. _God, that’s so fucked._ Ryan panted and groaned, back arching as he got closer.

“F-Fuck, _Jeremy!”_ He cried as he came into Jeremy’s throat.

He jolted in surprise of his own voice and panicked as he pulled Jeremy’s head off him. Jeremy swayed dazedly, face flushed and mouth wet and red. Ryan shuddered. _Jesus, he’s fucking wrecked. Did he...miss that?_ Jeremy smiled a loopy sort of smile at him and lifted his hand to show Ryan he’d taken care of himself. Ryan puffed out a surprised laugh, shaking his head. _He’s totally out of it, he missed it._

He offered Jeremy tissues and then helped him to his feet. They lingered a moment, sitting on the hood together and Jeremy went back to star gazing. The loneliness whined that Ryan should take Jeremy’s hand where it rested on the metal between them. Ryan firmly told it to fuck off. _You got enough already, shut the hell up._

“So...I know this is emotional and way too soon,” Jeremy muttered, drawing Ryan from his thoughts again, “But I actually missed you.”

His face was pink again and he brushed a nervous hand through his hair. It seemed to Ryan that either Jeremy was a hell of an actor or this part was real. Maybe it was a bit of both. They were compatible and Jeremy was using that to his advantage. That did seem pretty plausible.

Jeremy’s pinky finger touched Ryan’s and he smiled shyly at him. Ryan felt warmth in his chest and his heart fluttered. Yes, something was there. Could be more. Could be so much more. And so damn beautiful too. It was such a shame their situation wasn’t going to allow it. 

Ryan stood and left.

~

The rest of the crew was waiting at the living room of the penthouse when Jeremy made it back. Geoff was pacing while the others all pretended to not be worried, faces buried in work. They all straightened up immediately when he arrived though, so he knew they weren’t that focused. 

“You’re bloody,” Geoff grunted, fists clenching.

“This is from earlier,” Jeremy rasped as he made his way over.

Jack fetched him a bottle of water which he took with a tired, grateful smile.

“It worked,” he assured them, “I’ve never seen a more desperate man in my life.”

“Same here,” Ray snorted, “I thought he was going to explode the whole job. We got back and he was pacing around too. Way more emotion than before.”

“Told you guys my plan would work,” Jeremy muttered, “Dangling bait only works if you hold it out of reach for a bit. He’s absolutely hooked now.”

“He didn’t hurt you?” Geoff questioned.

“No, I’m fine,” Jeremy dismissed, “Told you, he’s a decent partner.”

“You sound almost disappointed, Lil’ J,” Gavin laughed.

“You know me, the harder the better,” Jeremy snorted.

Vagabond had finally shown a little bit of that force that Joshua had. _So good._ He considered Vagabond’s appraising eyes at the beginning. _Considering._ He’d figured out that Jeremy was bait. Jeremy wasn’t that surprised that he had. Though he was supposed to be a touch slower catching on. 

Jeremy had planned getting him hooked before he figured it out, because he’d been sure if he found out before he got hooked, Jeremy would end up with a knife in his throat. And for a second there, he thought he might. That appraising look had been rather dark a moment before Vagabond decided he thought Jeremy was worth the risk. 

Jeremy’s heart fluttered and he leaned back on the couch, pressing the water bottle between his eyes to hide his blush. Vagabond thought he was worth the risk. He thought it so much he kept making mistakes around Jeremy. Struggling to hide his emotion, smiling with his eyes and laughing more. Staring at his back when he was supposed to be leaving with Ray. Not bothering to look around to check for people nearby when Jeremy got on his knees, instead staying completely focused on Jeremy. Crying out Jeremy’s name in a tone of desperation that shivered through Jeremy.

Vagabond _did_ feel that connection. They _could_ be something, Jeremy had been right. They could be something amazing. A matched pair. Two pieces of a well-oiled machine. _With just a little time..._

But they weren’t going to get time. They weren’t going to get a happy ending. Even if they were perfect for each other. Even if they legitimately fell in love. Even if Jeremy changed his mind about the plan. No matter what, it was going to end badly.

The couch dipped as someone sat beside him.

“Jeremy, are you alright?” Geoff pressed, squeezing his knee.

_ No, I’m not alright. I’m the opposite of alright. I’m so far from alright, I can’t even imagine what alright would be. _

“I’m great,” Jeremy muttered, “Everything’s going quickly now. It’ll be over before you know it.”

And maybe when the time finally came, he’d be ready for it to be over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I redid this chapter a bunch of times, posted in on patreon still hating it, and then procrastinated other shit to redo it again. Yayyy
> 
> I am tired.


	6. Chapter 6

Ryan carried Jeremy’s hotel key in his pocket everywhere he went. He hadn’t really recognized this as a bad idea, but two days after Jeremy blew him on the hood of the car, it became apparent he was an idiot. The thing with the key was that he couldn’t stop playing with it, so he put it in the pocket he put everything he had a more clerical use for. Things he wanted easy access to. For example: a target’s photo.

When he arrived to the target’s location on this particular night, he found himself surprised and a bit confused. Next to the target was someone who looked identical to them. A twin. No one had mentioned two targets. No one had mentioned two people with his target’s face. So Ryan reached into his pocket to take out the photo, hoping there was some clue as to which twin was the correct one.

As he pulled out the photo, the hotel key slipped from his pocket. It clattered to the concrete floor before he registered it was falling. The sound practically echoed in the completely still, extremely quiet, and entirely too open warehouse. Truly the acoustic value of the place was astronomical. 

The twins were smart, choosing to open fire instead of call out “who’s there” like some horror movie side character with a death wish. Ryan instinctively rolled away to avoid the bullets. _I’m going to fucking kill the stupid fucker that gave me this job! Shit intel!_ But he stopped before turning to the nearest exit. _The key._ The crate he’d just been behind was now Swiss cheese and the debris had covered the key. 

Even as logic screamed at him to turn and run, he drew his gun to fire back. The fire from them shifted to the new crate and he dove back for the other. One of his leather-clad hands fumbled desperately in the splinters of the crate for the key while the other kept firing wildly in their direction, no doubt missing them by miles. He found it, but his triumph was short-lived as pain sliced through his shoulder. 

He let out a shout of pain, stumbling to his feet and rushing off around a corner. _Okay, you’re both fucking dead._ They pursued him, turning out to be idiots after all and he blew the brains out of the first one to round the corner he was hiding around. He ducked as the second one came around, firing into the space his body was just in. Their brains joined their twin’s as he fired upward.

He hurried toward the exit before anyone else could barge in, clutching the key so tight it was a miracle the thing didn’t snap. He jogged toward where he’d left his bike, adrenaline still pumping his blood. When he got there, he mounted up and huffed a few breaths, trying to clear his head. He looked down at the key in his hand as pain pulsed fresh from his shoulder. Loneliness was sobbing, begging. He started his bike and zipped off toward fifth.

He didn’t know if Jeremy was even there. He didn’t know if he was welcome. He didn’t know if it was the pain and adrenaline that was spurring him on or if he was just trying to make excuses. All he knew was every inch of him was screaming for him to run to Jeremy. 

So he ran. All the way to room 424 where he fumbled with the key, trying to get it to work. His hands were shaking too badly, the pain in his shoulder distracting him, and hotel keycards always were a bit finicky. _What’s the point in saving the key if your stupid ass can’t use it right?!_ Luckily, Jeremy opened the door, scowling. 

“The fuck are-“ he started angrily, then stopped, face softening into surprise, “Oh, Vagabond, wh-“

Ryan gripped his shirt, shoving him deeper in the room and kicking the door shut before them. Jeremy stumbled back a few steps as Ryan pushed up the mask enough to uncover his mouth. He smashed it over Jeremy’s, mouthing hungrily as he pushed him backwards. Jeremy recovered from his surprise quickly, gripping at Ryan’s shoulders as he pressed back. Ryan hissed into his mouth, reminded of his little problem and Jeremy pulled back, lifting his hand.

“Oh, fuck, that’s blood!” He exclaimed.

Ryan tried to push back in, not giving two shits about bleeding. Jeremy pushed him back, gripping his arm to drag him into the bathroom. Ryan whined in annoyance as he pushed his mask back down and Jeremy pushed him down on the closed toilet seat. 

“Take your jacket off,” he ordered before turning and bending down to get under the sink. 

Ryan reached out to grab his ass which was very enticing in only boxers. It didn’t help he was pumped full of adrenaline from the fight and kissing Jeremy. But Jeremy batted at his hand away.

“Hey! Hands off the merchandise!” He snapped, “At least until you get patched up! Jacket off!”

Ryan whined again, but tugged his jacket off, hissing more as he pulled the sticky leather off the wound. Jeremy stood back up, now with a first aid kit and put it on Ryan’s lap. Then he washed his hands and wet a washcloth to wipe up the blood. Ryan grunted as he began cleaning the wound and took consolation in squeezing Jeremy’s ass with his other hand. 

“You get horny when you fight, huh?” Jeremy guessed as he tossed the rag and opened the first aid kit.

Ryan nodded. 

“Sounds right,” Jeremy muttered as he swiped the wound with alcohol wipes, “Me too. Most people in this business do, I guess. You certainly wouldn’t be in it if you hated it, I guess. You want ice?”

Ryan shook his head and Jeremy prepared the suture. Ryan grunted at the first poke and again comforted himself by feeling Jeremy up. 

“You are insatiable,” Jeremy snorted, unwavering in his work, “You’re lucky this is just a graze. I mean, imagine trying to fuck me with a broken collarbone. Though I did once fuck with a broken rib and a fractured wrist. Not to mention I was more bruise than not at that point. That was a doozy of a day, really. I won the fight though and I fucked, so an overall win, I’d say. Fighting and fucking is a great combo. You ever fucked someone you fought before?”

Ryan nodded.

“I suppose it’s weird,” Jeremy muttered, “But I have too. Few times. Guess that’s all part of the crazy. I think our crazy matches up though, so no worry for judgement here. Well, that’s that. Now I’ll bandage it, then you can do what you want. Maybe you should take some pain killers first though.”

He pulled back to wash his hands and Ryan tried to peek at the stitched up wound through his torn shirt. The stitches were perfectly even and Jeremy hadn’t even had to tear his shirt that much wider to work. He was a good medic. Ryan looked back over at where Jeremy was filling a cup of water, eyes trailing down to his half-bare thighs. _Fuck patching myself up, this is way better._ Jeremy gave him the water and some pain killers then covered his eyes.

“Just nudge me when you’re done,” he instructed.

Ryan took the pain killers and nudged Jeremy as instructed. Jeremy put on the bandage and cleared away the first aid. Then he took Ryan’s hand and coaxed him up, leading him from the bathroom back into the room. Ryan would’ve followed Jeremy off a cliff with him holding his hand like that. Jeremy stopped at the bed, pulling his shirt and his boxers off. Ryan yanked his gloves off to get his hands on Jeremy’s body. Jeremy’s hands went to Ryan’s belt, unfastening it.

“I have...an idea,” he murmured, “I think we can use your belt like a blindfold.”

He slipped Ryan’s belt from the loops and lifted it up, pulling it taut between his hands.

“It’s as good a makeshift blindfold as any, right?” He mused, “And you can take off the mask if I can’t see you, right?”

Ryan hesitantly reached for the belt and Jeremy smiled up at him. 

“Just not too tight, okay?” He joked.

Ryan nodded as he took his belt and carefully lifted it to Jeremy’s eyes. Jeremy closed his eyes and held still as Ryan wrapped the belt around his head and pulled it through the buckle which he put to one side. He made sure it wasn’t too tight, sort of relying on Jeremy’s ears to keep it up. Then he waved his hand in front of Jeremy’s face. Jeremy didn’t react, but Ryan still hesitated.

“Vagabond?” Jeremy prompted, “Uh, d-didn’t just leave me like this, okay?”

Ryan pulled the mask off and put it in Jeremy’s hand. Jeremy pulled it to his chest, holding it with both hands and smiling softly. Ryan pulled off his shirt before guiding Jeremy onto the bed. Jeremy laid back and crossed his arms over the mask, holding it tightly to his chest like it was something precious. Ryan opened the nightstand, glad to find there was lube there and gently encouraged Jeremy to spread his legs. He dipped down, pressing his lips to Jeremy’s shaft and rubbed lube over his asshole. 

“J-Jeremy!” Jeremy suddenly blurted, “M-My name is Jeremy!”

Ryan froze. _Now??_

“J-Just y-y’know, so y-you know,” Jeremy stammered.

Ryan cleared his throat and pressed an “okay” symbol into Jeremy’s thigh with his free hand. Jeremy puffed out a nervous laugh.

“R-Right, don’t...talk, okay, um, c-carry on?” Jeremy mumbled.

Ryan snorted, rolling his eyes and pressed a finger inside him as he mouthed up his cock. Jeremy moaned softly, back arching as Ryan set to work. His arching and his moaning got higher and higher as Ryan added more and more fingers and put more and more of his cock in his mouth.

“Okay, okay, ah!” Jeremy cried, “F-Fuck! I’m r-ready, fucking fuck! Fuck me! _Now!”_

His knee hit Ryan’s ear.

“Hurry!” He snapped.

Ryan laughed as he pulled up, pulling his fingers from him and getting his jeans open. He gripped Jeremy’s hip, starting to flip him over as he got his cock out, but Jeremy resisted him.

“N-No, not-I-I know y-you like the tattoo,” he mumbled, “B-But I’m...I-I can’t.”

_I like the tattoo?_ Ryan stopped tugging and pushed up Jeremy’s legs, though he was disappointed. He spent the last two days dreaming of Jeremy’s scars. He shuffled into place and leaned over Jeremy as he guided his cock to his asshole. 

It was so similar to the last time he’d been there, but with a couple significant, extremely meaningful differences. Ryan was maskless and shirtless, meaning he could press their bare torsos together and kiss him deeply as he pressed inside him. The feeling of their bare skin sliding together as he rolled his hips slowly against Jeremy was intoxicating, reminding him how good it felt to be totally bare with Jeremy that first time. _Raw._

He buried his face in Jeremy’s neck and bit down harshly, remembering another part that felt amazing the first time as he sucked a dark mark on Jeremy’s skin. Claiming him, making him scream, fucking him senseless. Jeremy groaned breathlessly. One of his arms let go of the mask to wrap around Ryan’s back, pressing them closer together. 

“V, h-harder, please!” He groaned.

Ryan lifted to get a better angle then started moving quicker, hips slamming hard into Jeremy’s ass as he groaned and Jeremy started his screaming again. Ryan gripped Jeremy’s hip in one hand and his cock in the other. His shoulder cried protests to being a part of jacking Jeremy off, but he ignored it, focusing on Jeremy. Jeremy clawing his back, Jeremy writhing, Jeremy screaming in pleasure, Jeremy’s body against his, Jeremy tightening on his cock, Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy-

_“Jeremy!”_ Ryan cried out as they both came.

He slumped over, bracing himself on his forearms and burying his face in Jeremy’s neck. Sweat and floral wood was Ryan’s whole world. _Jeremy_ was his whole world in that moment, trying to catch his breath, kissing over the claiming mark, and running his hands over his torso. _Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy._ Then the high came down and he hissed, pulling back and touching the bandage gingerly. 

“You pulled your stitches, didn’t you?” Jeremy guessed.

Ryan peeked at the reddening bandage and chuckled nervously.

“Alright, clean up and get dressed,” Jeremy grumbled, “I’ll fix it before you leave.”

Ryan did as instructed, carefully cleaning Jeremy up and getting his shirt and mask on before taking his belt back. Then got Jeremy his boxers and shirt which he sluggishly rolled out of bed to get tugged on. Then Ryan sat obediently while Jeremy fixed the stitches, rubbing Jeremy’s hip as he chattered about the origins of stitches. Ryan hesitated with Jeremy at the door and Jeremy smiled up at him before standing on his toes and kissing the mask. _Again._ Ryan blushed. _Again._ He cupped Jeremy’s cheek and bumped their foreheads together. 

“It’s...it’s too soon,” Jeremy murmured, leaning into Ryan’s touch, “But...I really like you. It doesn’t have to mean anything, but I just figured yolo. I like you. There it is.”

Ryan pulled back to look in his eyes. There was hesitance there, a bit of worry, sadness. But was he lying? Was he just saying that to speed things along for their trap? Ryan tore his eyes from Jeremy’s and turned to leave. He hesitated, hand on the door handle. Did it truly matter either way? Real or fake, this ended the same way and they both knew it. Ryan twisted the door handle and left. 

~

Jeremy crumpled right where he was, falling to his knees and burying his face in his hands. _The first time I find a real connection and it’s him?! Why the hell is it him?! I don’t want to do this! I never wanted to do this! Why are you making me do this?!_

He sobbed into his hands until he couldn’t hold himself up any more and fell to the carpet. He had no choice. He never had a choice. Ever. His back was plenty proof of that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you sad yet?


	7. Chapter 7

Jeremy was absolutely beautiful where his hips rolled in Ryan’s lap. His skin was dewy with sweat and the moonlight falling over him almost made him glow. Ryan’s bloodstained hands trailed up his beautiful thighs and Jeremy’s eyes opened to look down at him. His eyelashes were wet and fluttering as he leaned down, bracing his hands on Ryan’s bare chest. Ryan left red up his sides as he stared into Jeremy’s sweet eyes. 

Jeremy’s fingers suddenly dug into Ryan’s skin over his heart and Ryan grunted in pain. Jeremy’s hand dug harder and Ryan huffed, gripping at his wrist, trying to pull it off. Jeremy just grinned down at him as he struggled. Ryan couldn’t breathe as Jeremy’s fingers sank into his chest. He writhed, trying to buck Jeremy off him as he choked on the fiery pain shooting out from Jeremy’s hand digging in his chest. 

“Relax, baby, I’ll do all the work,” Jeremy whispered.

His hand closed around Ryan’s heart and ripped it from his chest. He held it aloft for Ryan to see. It was black. Ryan sobbed in pain, wanting to beg for mercy even though he knew there would be none. Jeremy squeezed. Ryan screamed, the sound ripping from his throat as he stared up at Jeremy. He looked heavenly, framed by moonlight, beautiful as ever as he crushed Ryan’s heart.

“I really like you,” he sneered mockingly.

Ryan bolted upright in his bed, choking off another scream. He gasped in harsh breaths and got up, shuffling to the bathroom to get water for his achingly dry throat. He started to grab the glass on the vanity as he coughed, but didn’t get a chance to as the coughing took over. 

He started hacking, something coming up his throat as he bent over the sink, gripping at the edge of the vanity. He coughed out the velvety thing in his throat, spitting it out as it reached his mouth. He coughed, choking as more of it came up, tears streaming down his face as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. 

_Petals._ Flower petals. Coming out of his lungs at an alarming rate. He struggled, slumping over the sink as he lost the energy to cough them out. They were clogging his throat, filling his mouth. He was suffocating as he weakly reached for the ones in the sink. He knew what they were. They were lotus petals.

Ryan jerked bolt upright gasping and clawing at his throat. His stomach rolled and he threw back his covers to dart into the bathroom. He dropped in front of the toilet and vomited, body shuddering. He gripped at the toilet, puking out his entire digestive system it seemed like. He swayed as the retching stopped and he stared down at the vomit just to be sure none of it was flower petals. 

~

The next time Ryan saw Jeremy, he had a coughing fit. He turned from the lot of FAHC to shove up the mask and cough into his hand, frantically checking for lotus petals. He’d spent three days plagued by horrid heart-ripping and petal-coughing dreams. He was almost convinced the petals were real at this point, those sections of his nightmares feeling completely and utterly real even after he woke up. 

Fortunately, he did not cough up petals. He pushed his mask back down to turn back to FAHC. _Why the hell did I come??_ Jeremy’s sweet brown eyes were clouded with worry, his eyebrows together. Right, that’s why. The exact reason he should stay away, was the exact reason he couldn’t. 

The job tonight was not one he’d necessarily take from anyone else: a masquerade ball plot. They were infiltrating in search of a slippery bastard by the name of Duke Reed who usually had entirely too much security on him at any given time. But for the masquerade, he’d be disguised and relying on the party’s security. So they were infiltrating the party then hunting him down and killing him. 

Ryan had even bought a tux. 

“Okay, remember to stick with your partner,” King grunted, “Don’t lose your invitation and stay fucking focused, Gold.”

“Wot?!” Gold squawked.

“Last party we infiltrated you got fucking drunk and passed out in a closet!” King hissed, “I swear to Christ if you even look at a glass of champagne I’m having V cut off your ears.”

Ryan flicked open a switchblade and Gold flinched.

“Blimey, where are you hiding knives in that tux??” Gold demanded.

Ryan laughed and Gold hid behind Mogar.

“He’s bloody scary!” Gold huffed.

“That’s kind of the fucking point,” Mogar snorted, “Also don’t hide behind me! I’m not getting in the fucking middle of this shit!”

They squabbled a bit before King broke it up and told everyone to split up, passing out the earpieces. Ryan was with Jeremy, obviously, in a purple sports car. Jeremy was the invited and Ryan was the plus one. 

“Oh, the masks are in the glovebox,” Jeremy muttered as they started out.

He was quieter than usual. Distracted. Like he had been that first mission. Ryan pulled the glovebox open and took out the two masks inside. They were both full face masks, made of whatever plastic material masquerade masks were made of. One was black, shaped like a skull with sparkling dark blue curls stretching all over it. The other was silver, shaped like a face with shimmering plum roses blooming across it. 

Ryan didn’t know why exactly he did what he did. Maybe because the idea of looking at flowers on Jeremy all night made him sick. Maybe because he though the black one was prettier. Maybe because he didn’t want to risk recognition. Whatever the reason, when Jeremy stopped and started to get out, Ryan switched the Vagabond mask for the silver and purple one. As he stepped out and Jeremy came around the car, he offered him the black and blue one. Jeremy frowned at it, but didn’t comment as he pulled it on. 

He offered Ryan his arm and Ryan took it as they started up the steps of the mansion the ball was being held in. “Mr. Rosewood” and his plus one were admitted to the party.

“Y’all are wearing the wrong masks,” BrownMan commented in their ears as they entered the mansion.

“Says you,” Jeremy grunted, “Don’t you know how good I look black and blue?”

“You look fucking bizarre,” BrownMan snorted.

“Don’t listen to him,” King dismissed, “You’re the prettiest skull I’ve ever seen. No offense, V.”

Ryan snorted.

“You know how to make a boy all warm, boss,” Jeremy chuckled.

Ryan looked over at him, smiling lightly. His distraction seemed to be gone now. Certainly his gang seemed to cheer him up when he was down. Jeremy looked up at him and Ryan could tell he was smiling, eyes sparkling in the warm light of the ballroom. Ryan agreed he was the prettiest skull he’d ever seen. He coughed, eyes jerking away from Jeremy’s as he tried to contain the rasping in his throat. 

“V, this isn’t _The Masque of the Red Death,_ but I appreciate your commitment,” King muttered dryly.

Ryan choked on laughter and phantom petals. _Jesus Christ, what the hell am I doing?_

“Excuse me?” Someone spoke to Jeremy.

“Er, yes?” Jeremy grunted, sounding distracted, “What is it?”

Ryan swallowed the phantom petals to focus on the person talking. They had a full-faced white and gold mask.

“I was just wondering if you’d care to dance,” they requested, offering their hand.

“Oh my god, that’s him!” Gold hissed, “I recognize his slimy voice!”

“Jesus, Rimmy, talk about record timing!” King snorted.

“Uh, yeah, sure,” Jeremy answered, taking the man’s hand.

Ryan watched them go, swallowing down more coughing and shaking his head. _I need to get my head on right._ Suddenly someone bumped into him, spilling their drink on him. He grunted, instinctively catching them. 

“Whoops!” They exclaimed, “Sorry ‘bout that. Oh dear, let’s go clean that before it sets!”

They started tugging him away, his grunts of protest not stopping them from dragging him off toward a bathroom. He was trying not to make a scene and extremely out of it. _Jeremy’s dancing with slime. Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy._ He grunted again as the person wiped champagne off his shirt, shaking his head trying to clear it again. Suddenly, without warning, there was a gun under his chin. He blinked in surprise.

“You know, I almost didn’t notice you,” the person sneered, “Might not have if you hadn’t started coughing.”

“Who the hell is that??” King demanded.

“Do you remember me, Vagabond?” The person asked, stepping closer, “I remember you. Your cold blue eyes. No one’s eyes look just like that.”

“Someone tell me they have eyes on Vagabond!” King hissed.

“Answer me!” The person snapped, pushing the gun harder to his skin, “Do you remember me?!”

FAHC was scrambling in Ryan’s ear, making it difficult to focus. The thing that made it most difficult was that Jeremy wasn’t talking and Ryan couldn’t hear the target either. He’d probably turned off his earpiece to focus. Which meant he was alone out there without Ryan watching his back. 

“I know you can talk, you creepy fucker!” The person growled, “Tell me!”

“No, I don’t remember you,” Ryan answered calmly.

“Of course not!” The person laughed humorlessly, “Why remember whose life you ruined?!”

“I ruin a lot of lives,” Ryan pointed out, “Hardly seems fair to try to insist I remember all of them.”

“Shut up, asshole!” The person huffed.

“I’m getting mixed signals,” Ryan muttered, “Do you want me to speak or not?”

“You stupid asshole!” They shrieked, “Just-Just shut up! Take off the mask and let me see the face of the man who ruined my life!”

“I don’t take the mask off for anyone,” Ryan dismissed, “Least of all amateurs like you.”

“How the hell are you so calm with a gun pointed at your brain?!” They demanded.

“The safety’s on,” Ryan lied.

“Wha-?” The person started to ask as they pulled the gun back slightly.

Their finger instinctively left the trigger. Ryan struck, shoving their wrist aside to point the gun to the wall and slamming his fist into their face. As they stumbled back, the bathroom door burst open and they ended up backing right into Jeremy’s foot slamming into their skull. They fell hard, their head smacking against the tile. Any thoughts of them being conscious after two hits to the head were obliterated when Jeremy curb-stomped their face.

“Time to go!” He announced.

He grabbed Ryan’s hand and dragged him from the bathroom. FAHC was scrambling, everyone hurrying to get out before anyone noticed anything was up and for the most part seeming to succeed. Jeremy sped back to the meeting place and parked the car. He took his earpiece out and turned it off. Ryan did the same, watching him closely as he took the mask off and flung it in the backseat. He looked agitated. _He heard my voice after all. He knows._ Ryan retrieved the Vagabond mask from the glovebox, wondering what the step next was. 

“Don’t just let yourself get dragged off like that!” Jeremy blurted, “Where was your head?! I-It’s about last time isn’t it?! Because I said I like you, you’re all distracted know, aren’t you?! It-It doesn’t have to mean anything! It shouldn’t affect you! Why does it affect you?! Nothing is meant to affect you!”

He slammed his hands against the steering wheel, eyes squeezing closed. He gripped the wheel tightly, jaw clenching.

“Go home,” he muttered through his teeth.

_I don’t understand._ Ryan suspected he might never understand. Not before the trap was sprung anyway. He hesitated, wanting to do something, say something to ease the tightness in Jeremy’s shoulders. 

“Go! Home!” Jeremy shouted.

Ryan swallowed the scratchy feeling in his throat as he opened the door and left.

~

_ You were never meant to be human! You were never meant to feel! You were never supposed to really connect to me! I was meat! Why did you do this?! Why did you have to turn out to be this?!  _

Before, Jeremy hadn’t _really_ thought that Vagabond would fall for it. All through the planning, all through the beginning, right up until Vagabond had put his mask in Jeremy’s hand that night, Jeremy never really thought this would work. There had always been part of him that had thought it wouldn’t work. Maybe a part that _hoped_ Vagabond would get him out of this simply by refusing to be baited. 

_I don’t take the mask off for anyone._

He really didn’t, did he? But he’d given it to Jeremy, had him hold it for safe keeping. Then he’d switched the masks in the car before Jeremy was fully out of it, risking Jeremy seeing his face. He’d done it so naturally, like it didn’t even cross his mind that Jeremy might try to peek. And he’d pushed it up several times just to kiss him, even knowing Jeremy might recognize him as Joshua. 

He trusted Jeremy, even if he wasn’t consciously choosing to do so. It was why he kept making all those mistakes. Why he kept coming back, despite knowing something was going on. Jeremy sobbed as he slumped against the steering wheel.

Vagabond had fallen for him hook, line, and sinker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 20% sadder


	8. Chapter 8

At first, Ryan was just going to ignore FAHC’s request to work with them again. But the scratchiness in his throat, the tiredness settling in his bones, and the screaming loneliness in his chest had him agreeing to the job. He was going soft, really. He really needed to just kill all of FAHC, be inconsolable for awhile, and then be done with it. 

But Jeremy’s pretty eyes and his cute little smile had him melting when he showed up to find only him at the meeting point. It had him swallowing phantom petals too.

“We’re waiting for a bit,” Jeremy explained as Ryan approached where he was perched on the hood of his car, “Notice anything different?”

_So I guess we’re pretending nothing important happened last time._ Ryan looked him over, catching sight of a sparkling earring hanging from Jeremy’s ear. At first he was going to pretend not to notice it to tease Jeremy, but the shade of blue of the gemstone had his breath catching in his throat. He reached out and touched the droplet. Jeremy was pink, looking away shyly.

“When Gold cut up the Marina Diamond, he saved a couple pieces for me,” he murmured.

A couple. Ryan looked at Jeremy’s other ear, which was missing an earring. _There’s...one for me, isn’t there?_ Jeremy hesitantly reached in his jacket and produced a black ring. A rectangular gemstone was set into the black metal, the same shade as the one hanging off Jeremy’s ear lobe. 

“I thought...an earring would be too noticeable,” Jeremy mumbled, “Some other piercing, you’d have to get specially done. A necklace or a bracelet might get in the way. So...”

He lifted the ring a little.

“You...don’t have to take it,” he assured Ryan, “I know it seems a little...emotional, I guess.”

Ryan hesitated. It was stupid how bad he wanted that ring. How bad he wanted a constant reminder of Jeremy that wasn’t the roughness in his throat or the pain in his chest. Even after this was over, he could...still have a piece of him. Ryan’s jaw clenched as he tugged his right glove off and took the ring to slip it on his finger. 

Jeremy watched him carefully as he did this and as he replaced his glove. He gave Ryan a watery smile and reached for him. Ryan put his arms around Jeremy and held him closely. _Okay. If you want to pretend, then we’re pretending. We’ll pretend right up until the end._

“Well, anyway,” Jeremy announced, pulling back, “We gotta wait a bit, then we’re meeting up with our friends.”

The watery sadness was gone from his eyes and he patted the hood beside him. Ryan hopped up next to him and leaned back when he did. They looked up at the stars as they laid side-by-side. 

“Sometimes I forget stars even exist,” Jeremy muttered, “Too busy looking at the ground. That’s where all the threats are. Never been one for taking in the sights. Too dangerous to let myself get distracted, I guess. And there’s always a million things for me to think about. A million obstacles, a million threats, a million plans. I couldn’t relax if it killed me. I feel like throwing up from anxiety ninety percent of the time. I think it’s why I tend to ramble too.”

He paused as Ryan’s hand slipped into his. He looked over and Ryan looked back. 

“Vagabond, I...” Jeremy started, hesitantly.

There was such sadness in his eyes that Ryan’s heart ached. _I don’t want to do this,_ his eyes seemed to scream. Then the look was gone and he grinned again.

“Hey, how about we do what we missed out on last time?” He suggested, sitting up.

Ryan followed him up and he went wound to the driver’s side door. He leaned in the window and Ryan checked out his ass because obviously he was going to. Gentle classical music came from the car’s radio and raised in volume before Jeremy pulled back out. He bounced in front of Ryan and held his hand.

“Would you care to dance with me, Vagabond?” He offered, grinning his cute grin.

Ryan took his hand and yanked him forward. Jeremy stumbled in surprise as Ryan took his waist. He blushed as he laid his hand over Ryan’s shoulder, looking away shyly. Ryan took his chin to make him look up at him again. 

“Eyes on me, Jeremy,” Ryan whispered.

Jeremy’s breath stuttered and he stared up at him as they moved in a simple box step, his warm eyes shimmering in the moonlight. Yes, Ryan should kill this lie. Throttle it until the fire sputtered out of those gorgeous eyes. But he wasn’t going to. The lie was too beautiful. So he would embrace it until their time was up. _Tick, tock, tick, tock._

They stilled as the music trailed off. _Tick, tock, tick, tock._ He pulled the mask off and dropped it. _Tick, tock, tick, tock._ He took Jeremy’s face in his hands and kissed him. _Tick, tock. Tick, tock._ Jeremy gripped his jacket tightly. _Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock, tick-_

_Beep, beep! Beep, beep! Beep, beep!_

They pulled away as Jeremy’s watch went off. 

“Time’s up,” Jeremy muttered as he clicked his watch, “Time to meet up with our friends.”

Ryan took the mask from the cold concrete and moved around Jeremy’s car to get in the passenger seat. _Tick, tock._

They didn’t drive very long before their earpieces were in range to pick up the rest of FAHC.

“Calvary’s here!” Jeremy chirped, “Ready for passing off!”

He hit Ryan’s window button, dropping the window as they drove toward Mogar and Gold who were in a black van headed their way. Ryan held his hand out as Gold did the same. Ryan grasped the object in Gold’s hand as they passed, quickly pulling it inside. The squealing pig mobiles split to pursue both vehicles. 

“Gun under the seat,” Jeremy informed Ryan.

Ryan retrieved the AR and leaned out the window to fire at their pursuers. Bursts of gunfire sprayed over the fronts of the squad cars which wavered, backing off. 

“Pass off!” King called.

Ryan turned to see him and Queen headed for them and quickly got his head back in the car to grab the object and hold it out. King in the passenger seat took it as they passed and again the pigs split up. 

“Alright, shake ‘em off!” King ordered.

Ryan’s stomach lurched as Jeremy slammed the gas and his brain rattled as Jeremy whipped around corners at alarming sharpness. With the pigs split between the three vehicles, it was much easier to shake the few on their ass. Working with people did have its advantages. After some crazy driving and Ryan’s stomach being left at the corner of Crawford and Primrose, Jeremy parked in a tunnel of sorts. _Jesus, he can drive._ Sirens screamed past their hiding place.

“We gotta wait again,” Jeremy explained, “For the heat to die off. Got any ideas for how to pass the time?”

He grinned at Ryan who tilted his head at the backseat. They got out and into the backseat. Ryan dropped the mask on the floorboard to kiss Jeremy, hands running up his sides as he pressed him into the seat. 

He quickly yanked Jeremy’s jeans down and fumbled for the lube in his jacket. Jeremy flipped over, but self-consciously tugged his shirt to ensure it kept his back covered. Ryan leaned over him to kiss his neck as he fingered him with a shaking hand. He buried his nose in his skin, overwhelmed by the scent of Jeremy and the feeling of his body against him. _We’re pretending. Then let’s pretend._

“My name is Ryan,” he whispered shakily.

Jeremy stiffened in surprise.

“Ryan,” he tried carefully.

Ryan shuddered. When was the last time someone used his name? He got James at the DMV. Vagabond at work. Fake names for hookups.

“S-Say it again,” he rasped.

“Ryan,” Jeremy repeated.

Ryan shuddered again, pulling back to fumble with his jeans. He nearly dropped the lube in his haste to get his cock lubed and in Jeremy who groaned as he pushed inside impatiently. Ryan’s hips jerked forward sloppily as he laid over Jeremy.

“Again,” he huffed.

“R-Ryan,” Jeremy groaned, trembling under Ryan, “Oh, god, Ryan!”

Ryan moaned, hips moving quickly. He wrapped an arm around Jeremy and lifted him slightly to try to angle for his prostate and found it. 

“Ryan!” Jeremy screamed, “F-Fuck me there! Harder, Ryan!”

Ryan was dizzy as he slammed into Jeremy who shrieked his name over and over again. He squeezed and pulsed around Ryan, screaming in pleasure and Ryan bit his neck to give him another dark mark.

“Y-Yes, yes, mark me!” Jeremy cried, “I’m yours! I’m yours, Ryan!”

_Mine mine mine._ Ryan gripped Jeremy’s cock as he felt himself drawing up. 

“Come for me, Jeremy,” he whispered hotly in Jeremy’s ear. 

“Ryan!” Jeremy shrieked as he came across the seat.

Ryan let out a strangled, garbled version of Jeremy’s name as he came. They slumped. Ryan kept his arm around Jeremy’s torso, holding him closely as they caught their breath. He pressed kisses to Jeremy’s cheek and neck, humming lightly. Pretending had its advantages.

Ryan’s guts went cold and he pulled back, coughing lightly as phantom petals rasped against the skin inside his throat. He cleaned Jeremy as well as he could while the younger man was silent. He stared blankly into space and worry clenched Ryan’s insides. He rubbed Jeremy’s hip hesitantly and Jeremy jarred awake. 

He sat up and climbed into Ryan’s lap, smiling shyly at him with his cute pink face.

“Thank you for telling me your name,” he murmured.

Ryan smiled weakly back at him, anxiety thumping in his chest. _I’ve given up everything. Face, voice, name. I got too into pretending._ He pressed his face into Jeremy’s chest, pulling him close. _But it’s just so nice to pretend._

~

Jeremy waved, smiling lightly as Ryan mounted his bike to leave. Ryan hesitantly waved back before taking off. Ryan had held him for nearly half an hour and it was the warmest, most beautiful feeling in the world. Jeremy touched the earring, face warm as his smile widened a bit. 

Ryan had given him every part of himself. Face, voice, name. He really, truly cared about and trusted Jeremy. _He likes me._ Jeremy covered his blushing face as his heart fluttered. _He totally likes me!_ Jeremy had never had a real relationship before, barely had a crush. Definitely no one had expressed genuine romantic interest. It was why “Joshua” had fucked him up so badly. He felt butterflies in his stomach and warmth in every part of him.

“Jeremy, you good?” Geoff’s voice in his ear startled him, “Did he hurt you?”

Jeremy looked up to watch him and Jack pull into the parking lot. _Right._

“No, I’m just tired,” he assured.

And he was. The warmth flooded from him and the cold reality came creeping back in. _Right._ It didn’t matter. No amount of romantic interest would make this end differently. No stomach butterflies would fix this. He stepped out of the car as Geoff got out too.

“Well, how’d it go?” He asked, “Did the alone time go accordingly?”

It did. As Jeremy predicted, it only took one more night, one more incident. Ryan would now do pretty much whatever Jeremy asked. He was wrapped around his little finger. He’d given him everything and would give him anything else he wanted. Jeremy’s heart throbbed.

“No,” he lied, “Not quite. I need a little more time.”

“Alright, we’ll get another job lined up soon then,” Geoff answered.

“Shouldn’t be too much longer though,” Jeremy murmured, feeling guilty.

_Just...just a little more time. Let me pretend just a little longer._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have you considered you could always be more sad?
> 
> Anyway, side note: you may or may not have noticed I changed my username in order to further remove my work from the public eye. Now my work is for only me and the few people who’ve been reading for awhile. I will ask you all to please not share my new username publicly. I am doing my best to keep it out of sight of those who may be harmed by it while not completely destroying my emotional state by quitting and/or deleting. Thank you all for reading and thank you for those who have been supportive and have tried to help me with suggestions on how to proceed. ❤️


	9. Chapter 9

_Bring, bring!_

Ryan slapped at his nightstand to grab his phone. He lifted it. His phone didn’t have a calling screen on it. _What?_

_Bring, bring!_

His eyes went to the real source of the ringing: the FAHC phone. _They’re calling me?_ He picked it up. “Rimmy Tim” was the name on the phone. He quickly answered, sitting up.

_Do I need to kill someone?_

“Hello?” He rasped.

“Oh, I woke you,” Jeremy grunted, “Sorry about that, I can call you later.”

“It’s okay,” Ryan hurried to assure him, “What is it?”

_ Do I need to kill someone? _

“I was wondering if you’d like to do something with me?” Jeremy asked.

“What?” Ryan prompted.

_ Do I need to kill someone? _

“Bit of a joy ride,” Jeremy answered, “I’m going to steal a Lectro, could use the best rider I’ve ever had between my legs.”

“A _Lectro?!”_ Ryan demanded, choking a bit.

“So you’re in?” Jeremy guessed, chuckling.

“Where?” Ryan asked, hurrying to his feet.

“Meet me at Cottage Park,” Jeremy instructed.

“Got it,” Ryan confirmed as he yanked his clothes from his closet.

“Oh, I’d say go un-Vagabond for this,” Jeremy added, “I won’t be Rimmy.”

Ryan paused, looking at the Vagabond jacket he was reaching for. 

“It’s up to you,” Jeremy muttered, “But I’d think you’d want to go more low key in case we’re spotted.”

“Right,” Ryan grunted.

“See you in a bit,” Jeremy murmured.

“See you.”

Ryan looked at his work jeans and t-shirt hung over his arm. He’d had a very nice 18 days of pretending with Jeremy. Working with FAHC and playing with Jeremy had made it some of the best 18 days of his life. But day 19 he was getting time with only Jeremy outside his hotel room or the backseat of his car and not for work. _Just_ Ryan and _just_ Jeremy doing something, presumably, _just_ for fun. 

_ That’s a date.  _

Ryan had a date. A date with Jeremy. He traded his work clothes for the nicer clothes he wore when he used to go looking for hookups. Before Jeremy. He cleared his suddenly dry, scratchy throat and shook his head. _We’re pretending._ He took his civilian riding jacket from the hanger and hurried to shower.

After he was dried and in his clothes, he hesitated over his hair. Should he do something nice with it? He brushed his fingers through the sandy strands, turning his head to look over it in the mirror. A regular ponytail at the base of his neck like work seemed wrong. A high ponytail like he did for hookups seemed wrong too. This was a date. He should make special effort...right? 

He hadn’t braided his hair in so long, he almost didn’t recall how to do it right. He had to redo it, but he got there. He ran his hand over it once it was finished. It was something just Jeremy would get to see. Ryan shook his head, ignoring his pink cheeks in the mirror. Now he was just being stupid. And taking too long. He needed to hurry up before Jeremy thought he was flaking or something. 

~

Jeremy was on the hood of his car again, this time sitting right next to the driver’s side door, one knee up and his other foot swinging idly. He looked up, smiling softly as Ryan pulled in. He dropped his other leg as Ryan dismounted and grinned as Ryan walked up to him. Ryan smiled back, reaching out to caress his cheek. _Three days is a lifetime to be without you._

“You clean up nice, Ryan,” Jeremy teased, “I like your braid.”

He reached up to tug it lightly. Ryan blushed and leaned forward to kiss him, to hide his embarrassment. Jeremy pressed back, gripping his shirt. Their foreheads pressed together when they pulled away. 

“This is totally a date, by the way,” Jeremy murmured.

Ryan’s blush didn’t have a chance to wan before it was back again. His heart fluttered in his chest. _I knew it._ He really was going soft. The idea of a date was turning him to a pile of goop. 

“Well, it’s a short walk,” Jeremy announced, pulling back, “Few blocks that way.”

He gestured vaguely. 

“Wanna guess what color the bike is?” He chirped.

“Purple,” Ryan snorted, ruffling Jeremy’s purple hair.

“You’re half-right,” Jeremy laughed, “You’ll see.”

Ryan stepped back to let him hop down and he took Ryan’s hand as he lead the way. This really was a date. They were holding hands. And not like at work when they’d grabbed each other’s hands instinctively as they ran through whatever mess they’d gotten in. No, this was just because Jeremy _wanted_ to hold his hand. 

Jeremy was a weird hand-holder though. His fingers kept wiggling around where he’d laced them through Ryan’s. It took Ryan a second to realize it was because he was playing with the ring on Ryan’s right ring finger. Ryan smiled lightly.

“So the plan is, I go in and disable security,” Jeremy explained as they walked, “You get in the garage and grab the bike. You should hear a beep from the door that’ll let you know it’s safe to pick the lock. Then the keys should be on a hook by the door. Don’t open the garage door though, just wheel it through the side door. 

“This is actually a bit of a lucky break for us. This is their second home and they just got the Lectro. They’re planning to move it to their primary home tomorrow, so tonight’s the only night it will be in such low security. Lucky a friend of mine happened to be working on the paint job and mentioned it to me.”

_ That **is** pretty lucky.  _

“Anyway, I’ll meet you out front after you have the bike,” he added, “Then we’ll make like a banana.”

“And split?” Ryan offered.

“No, why would a banana split?” Jeremy scoffed.

Ryan gave him an unamused, exasperated look and his pokerface cracked. He burst into a fit of giggles. He was apparently very amused by his own sarcasm. Ryan rolled his eyes. _What a dork._

They crept onto the property when they arrived, splitting up for their separate jobs. Jeremy went for the back of the place and Ryan went for the side door into the garage. It was a big house, but Ryan wasn’t sure if it was a mansion. He wasn’t really sure what exactly made a house a mansion. 

After a tense few minutes of silence, the door Ryan was crouching beside beeped and he picked the lock. He slipped inside and his eyes fell on the Lectro immediately. It was really too dark to really see properly, so he didn’t gush over it like he wanted to. He hurried to the door to the house where he found the keys and the garage door button. 

Just as he got the key in his hand, a piercing alarm shattered the still, peaceful night. _Jeremy._ Ryan smashed his fist on the garage door button and scurried to the bike. He mounted up and started it, wasting no time as he zipped from the half open garage. He ducked his head to avoid the door and swerved around the corner, headed for the back of the house. 

As if they’d planned it, Jeremy was bursting through the balcony door as he rounded the second corner. He leapt onto the balcony railing and Ryan slowed slightly as he started pass the balcony. The sound of gunfire followed Jeremy as he dropped from the balcony. He landed safely on the back of the bike, quickly wrapping his arm around Ryan as he immediately picked up speed again.

“Wahoo!” Jeremy whooped as they made it back around the front, “Kiss my ass, one percent!”

Ryan laughed as they fled the scene, zooming down roads faster than anyone could follow them. So far? Best date he’d ever had. 

~

They were laughing breathlessly, scrambling to push each other’s clothes off the moment they stepped inside Jeremy’s hotel room. Ryan felt like his head was full of fluff and his body burned with only the desire to be with Jeremy. To have more of him. To consume him. 

They tumbled onto the bed, having freed themselves from their pesky clothing. Ryan mouthed at Jeremy’s neck, nipping at his salty skin as his hands ran over his torso. He reached down, gripping their cocks in one hand to hold them together as he sloppily thrust against Jeremy. Jeremy shuddered, puffing out a sigh into Ryan’s ear. 

“R-Ryan, Ryan, lube,” he huffed, “I-I need you. Please, Ryan.”

Ryan leaned over, letting go to fumble with the nightstand. Jeremy shifted, sitting up a bit and Ryan lifted too, pulling back to let him up. Jeremy’s face was twisted up and Ryan touched his cheek.

“What is it?” He asked, “Are you alright?”

“Y-Yes, I’m just...nervous,” Jeremy mumbled, “I want...t-to turn over.”

Ryan could’ve exploded with eagerness. Jeremy always kept his scars covered since that first peek he gave Ryan. Ryan had been understanding, but still disappointed.

“I can touch your scars?” He prompted excitedly.

Jeremy looked at him in surprise.

“You _want_ to touch them?” He grunted, sounding confused.

“Yes, of course,” Ryan answered.

“Oh, um, y-yeah, you can,” Jeremy agreed.

He turned over and Ryan leaned over him as he rubbed lube over his asshole. He pressed a finger inside him while he traced another over one of the scars. It was thick and uneven, ripping across his skin from one shoulder to the ribs on the other side. _A whip._ A few smaller matching ones accompanied it to either side. Ryan’s fingers kneaded in the raised flesh before moving on.

He slipped another finger in Jeremy as he traced a new scar. It was a partial square, with only two and a half of the sides. Ryan felt a flare of pain in his thighs, the ghost of a memory haunting his similarly shaped scars. _Belt buckle._ He dipped down to kiss the scar and Jeremy shuddered below him. 

Ryan moved next to a cluster of a scar, again pressing another finger inside Jeremy as he did. This scar was splattered on Jeremy’s shoulder blade like the aftermath of an explosion. Again Ryan felt the phantom pain mirrored elsewhere on his own body, the upper part of his inner arm. He traced the wrinkled skin lightly, pressing a kiss to the center of it. _Burn._

His eyes filled with tears and he pressed another kiss over the scrapes between Jeremy’s shoulder blades. He trailed his lips over the knife scars scattered between the others and over the welts, before he stopped over the smattering of little circular ones just below his neck. _Oh, Jeremy, you have suffered more than you deserve._

“R-Ryan, I’m ready,” Jeremy mumbled.

_But am I?_ Ryan wondered, his chest squeezing. This seemed so... _significant._ This display of trust Jeremy had shown him meant something. Meant everything. And it was _real._ Ryan’s throat was dry as he pulled his fingers away and fumbled between them to get lube on his cock. He couldn’t pull his lips away from the cigarette burn scars, couldn’t lift up to make this maneuvering easier. He was stuck, glued to Jeremy’s back as he pressed inside him. 

This was why they were so connected, wasn’t it? _Pain._ Ryan’s burning eyes closed tightly as they slotted together. Two pieces of one whole. The edges of them blurred like two swipes of paint blending together on a canvas. He took a shuddering breath and finally moved his lips from the scars to Jeremy’s ear. He kissed the earring hanging there and reached out for Jeremy’s hand, where it rested on the bed. He laced his fingers through Jeremy’s.

“Ryan, please,” Jeremy whispered.

_Tick, tock._ Ryan’s hips moved, rolling slowly against Jeremy. Their scars rubbed together, sliding roughly against each other as Ryan thrust into him and wrapped his hand around his cock. Jeremy thrust back, moaning softly and they moved together, pace quickly building. Building, tensing, drawing up. Reaching for the end together. Ryan’s head was spinning, filled once more with only _Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy-_

“Jeremy!” Ryan shouted as Jeremy cried out and they both came.

They panted and Ryan tilted them, dropping them sideways as he kissed over Jeremy’s neck. _Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy._ He didn’t get shaken from his daze until his softening cock slipped fully out of Jeremy and he quickly leaned over to grab tissues. He wiped Jeremy up, feeling a bit guilty for making him wait for it. It was a difficult task to complete since he was keeping himself stuck to Jeremy’s back. 

He tossed the tissues and Jeremy turned, snuggling into his side and laying his head on Ryan’s chest. The self-consciousness of his scars had clearly returned as the glow died down. Ryan rubbed his shoulder and pressed a kiss to his head before settling on his back. They had been cuddling more and more over the past 18 days, each night they spent together lengthening as time went on. 

“Ryan, will you...stay tonight with me?” Jeremy murmured, his breath warm on Ryan’s skin.

His hand was laying over Ryan’s heart which was suddenly tight. _Tick, tock. Tick, tock._ This was it. The end had caught up with them. This was the last night they had. It was why Jeremy had done all this. The date, his scars, and now asking Ryan to stay. He never asked Ryan for anything outside sex. Every time he wanted some part of Ryan he didn’t ask outright. _“What am I allowed?” “Don’t suppose you’d...?” “If I do this, will you...?”_ But not this time. This time he asked outright.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._

“I’ll stay,” Ryan agreed quietly.

Jeremy’s hand tightened into a fist and he pressed his face fully into Ryan’s chest.

“Thank you,” he mumbled into his skin.

_Tick, tock. Tick, tock._ Yes, the end was here. _Yet._ Somehow, Ryan felt peaceful. Maybe it was Jeremy’s warmth against him. Maybe it was that the loneliness was quiet. Maybe it just felt good to be at natural conclusion. _Tick, tock. Tick, tock._ Ryan’s eyes closed. _Tick, tock. Tick, tock. Tick...Tock...Tick..._

Ryan fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter should be the last and the last chapter of Mirrored Image will come out tomorrow, I think. Sorry about this crazy schedule.


	10. Chapter 10

The morning of the 20th day was cold. Reality slapped Ryan hard as he woke in that empty bed. He held his breath, listening, hoping to hear water running in the bathroom. His fist clenched in the cold sheets where Jeremy had been and he grit his teeth as loneliness sobbed, trying to force him to do the same. 

He rolled, burying his face in one of the pillows. He screamed, the pain ripping up through his throat and out of his mouth. Peace, he’d felt. Peace. He could’ve laughed, if he wasn’t sobbing so hard. But wasn’t everything always more peaceful with Jeremy by his side? Hadn’t the last few months or so been the best when he was with Jeremy? 

Even when he was coughing phantom petals, even when he was thinking of the betrayal, even when he was filled with anxiety, Jeremy had eased the way. He had guided Ryan to the slaughter peacefully. Normally, a fit of rage over the betrayal would’ve ended Jeremy’s plan before it really took off. But Jeremy had kept Ryan’s eyes on him instead of on just how bad the end would be. 

And foolish, lonely idiot that Ryan was, he’d allowed it. He knew better, knew what he was doing, and deep down, knew how bad it would hurt. He knew he would be letting out screaming sobs as the end came upon him. He knew this would ruin him. But he hadn’t cared because he wanted Jeremy so fucking bad. He’d wanted anything he could get.

Peace laid over Ryan once more and his sobs died down. Yes, he’d always known just how much his heart would ache for Jeremy. And he’d also gotten what he wanted. He got his time with Jeremy. He had that precious memory now. He’d gotten something, which was better than the nothing he’d had. 

He slowly pulled himself together and sat up to get dressed. He needed to get his head on right. He had a trap to get out of. He paused when he was fully dressed, head in his hands. He needed to get blank before he left, get the emotion out of him so he could be rational. He barked out a sarcastic laugh. 

He wasn’t going to be able to be blank for this one. No, he just needed to resign himself to anger instead of sadness. He couldn’t let the feeling of loss trump the feeling of betrayal. He could mourn afterwards. For now, he just needed to be angry. He let out a shaky breath and stood. 

Anger seared through Ryan’s blood, boiling it as his face twisted into a snarl. He kicked the mattress off the frame and up, sending it against the wall. 

_Why the fuck did you do this?!_

He slammed his fist into the wall. He smashed his boot into the lamp on it, shattering it across the room. 

_Did you think it was funny to destroy me?!_  


He threw the nightstand against the wall. His fist went through the screen of the tv and then it was also hurled across the room.

_Did you think I would let you get away with this?!_

He picked up a chair and tossed it into the balcony door. The door shattered, glass exploding outward as the chair went through it. He realized suddenly he was crying again. He dropped to his knees. 

_ Was any of that real or did I just want to believe it? _

He dropped forward, hands hitting the carpet. Pain sliced through his chest and he screamed again. The scream choked off as the phantom petals returned and he sobbed at the carpet. He’d thought anything would be enough. He thought having part of Jeremy was better than nothing at all. 

_ I was wrong.  _

The arrival of hotel staff and the police spurred him out of his pity party and he went through the broken balcony door to drop down the balconies. He sprinted across the parking lot toward where he always parked his bike, but found the Lectro there instead. _Right._ In the daylight, he could see what color the bike was.

_It’s blue._

Ryan could barely see through his tears as he fled the scene, weaving through the cold streets of Los Santos as he tried to shake the pigs. Jeremy had intentionally gotten a blue Lectro. He’d intentionally left it behind when he went off to wherever he needed to be for the trap too. He’d intentionally gotten it for Ryan.

_Why are you doing this to me?_

Ryan didn’t understand why Jeremy had needed to put a hole in his chest just to betray him. He didn’t even understand why they were doing this. But he figured he’d find out soon enough. After all, the ticking had stopped. Their time had come. Soon this would all be over. It had been coming, he’d been expecting it, but...

_Why did you have to make it hurt so bad?_

~

Ryan got radio silence from FAHC. At three days, he was getting antsy. At the end of the week, he was getting paranoid, jumping at every shadow. At two he was worried. Had someone else gotten to them before they got to him? He tried to message them himself, but they didn’t reply. 

After some debate, he tried to call them and got told the number he was trying to dial was out of service. He tried calling each member in the phone and got the same. He asked around and found FAHC was still operating. Still operating but not bothering to spring the trap for some reason. 

Why? Were they just trying to make him sweat? He really needed this to resolve already. He needed to be done with this. It was hell trying to fight his wild mood swings. He needed to go on offense and finish this. It was just smart to do so. And it was smart to target the weakest link.

“Bloody hell!” Gold squawked as he flipped on the light to find Ryan sitting in his living room, “What the fuck are you doing creeping in my flat like a bloody ninja??”

Ryan tilted his head as he twirled the knife around his finger. Gold swallowed, hand tightening on the doorknob. His legs tensed and he shifted just barely.

_ Thunk! _

Gold yelped as the knife sank into the door beside his head, stopping any ideas of escape. Ryan flipped free another knife.

“Sit.”

Gold moved toward him, sitting on the couch. He seemed to pick up on the cold, blank tone of Ryan’s voice and didn’t want to push.

“Speak.”

“I can’t tell you anything!” Gold blurted.

Ryan’s hand tightened on the knife.

“Look, I promised, okay?” Gold quickly explained, “I can’t say anything!”

Ryan flipped the knife.

“Call your boss.”

Gold hesitated, but eventually slowly pulled his phone out and called Kingpin. 

“Hey, Gav, what’s up?” Kingpin’s voice asked tiredly.

“Um, I’m here with Vagabond,” Gold answered, clearing his throat, “In my flat.”

“How the hell did he find your place??” King wondered.

“Probably a question for later,” Gold muttered, “I think Vagabond would like to know what’s going on.”

He was doing a decent job of staying calm. Despite being utterly terrified of Ryan, he was keeping his voice mostly even and despite being tense, he wasn’t shaking. There was something steady in his eyes too. Something determined.

“We should meet up,” King suggested.

“No. Speak.”

King sighed through the phone.

“Jeremy is gone,” he admitted quietly.

Cold, tight fear clamped inside Ryan, shattering through the emotional block, shattering his blankness that he’d struggled to get in place, shattering his frozen heart in his chest. 

“Dead?” He whispered.

“No, but it’s...almost worse,” King murmured, “He’s with his old crew. They...didn’t treat him well.”

The memory of Jeremy’s scars burned on Ryan’s fingertips and lips.

“Where?” He rasped.

“I can’t tell you that,” King answered firmly, “It was Jeremy’s choice to go back.”

“Why?” 

“It’s a whole thing,” King grumbled, “He fled from his old crew, but they found him. We met with them and came to an agreement. If we got you to go to them peacefully, then they’d leave him alone and go back East.”

_Got me to go peacefully. That’s why Jeremy had to draw me in. He had to be able to convince me to do something I really didn’t want to do._

“Why didn’t you kill them?” Ryan muttered.

They were certainly capable.

“Jeremy begged us not to,” King explained, “He wanted the chance to do this peacefully. So we gave him the reins and he implemented a plan to get you to do whatever he said.”

He succeeded. Ryan would’ve done whatever Jeremy wanted, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

“But he said it wasn’t working,” King continued, “He said you weren’t going to be convinced, so he...went back to them.”

Ryan’s memory flickered through the last night he spent with Jeremy. No, Jeremy knew he’d succeeded. He knew he had Ryan by the balls. But he didn’t follow through. Ryan pressed his right thumb to his ring finger, feeling the ring through his glove. _He...He sacrificed himself for me._ He stood abruptly.

“Where?!” He demanded.

“I can’t tell you,” King repeated, “We all promised Jeremy if you did come asking, we wouldn’t tell you.”

_He even knew I would come looking. He knew everything._ Ryan advanced on Gold, switching the throwing knife for a switchblade. Gold’s throat bobbed against the blade as Ryan pressed it to his skin.

“Where. Is. He?” He growled.

Gold’s eyes closed.

“I can’t tell you,” he spoke quietly.

“Don’t you want to save him?!” Ryan snarled.

“Of course I want to save him!” Gold snapped, eyes popping open, “You think you’re the only one who misses him, who cares about him?! He’s part of my family! I love him as my brother and it’s killing me to not save him from those assholes!”

“Then help me save him!” Ryan shouted.

“I can’t!” Gold fired back, “I promised!”

Ryan wavered, face twisted in a snarl as anger surged through him. He should slice Gold’s throat, kill him for not obeying. _Make what is gold turn red._ But...he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to hurt Gold. Or any of FAHC. He’d had...fun the last couple of months. Not just with Jeremy. With all of them. They’d been downright friendly. He pulled the knife away from Gold.

“Please, I...just give me a clue,” he breathed, voice weak, “Let me help him.”

Gold’s face twisted up, but his eyes stayed firm.

“They’re still around here,” King spoke up from the phone.

“Geoff!” Gold hissed, “You can’t!”

“Half of Jeremy’s tattoo is a logo,” King added, “One that his crew displays on their backs. A crew that started in smuggling on fishing boats.”

_Fishing._

“Thank you,” Ryan whispered.

“Please don’t kill them,” Gold quickly added, “Jeremy begged us not to. He said he couldn’t handle it if they died.”

_Why??_ But Ryan nodded sharply. _If that’s what Jeremy wants, then I will respect his wishes._ He turned to leave, yanking his knife from Gold’s door. But he didn’t have to kill them to make them pay for what they did to Jeremy.

~

Ryan glanced around inside the room Jeremy was sleeping in and behind him before easing the window open to slip inside. He dropped silently to the floor and crept to Jeremy’s side. He was curled up tightly, making little pathetic noises that hurt every part of Ryan to hear. Ryan touched his shoulder gently, head whipping to the side to avoid Jeremy’s fist hurtling toward it.

“R-Ryan??” Jeremy choked, sitting up.

Even in the dim light, his face, his eyes were beautiful. Ryan couldn’t help but reach for him. Jeremy leaned into Ryan’s touch, eyes closing as his hands came up to touch Ryan’s.

“Ryan,” he breathed, “I...”

“Shh, I know,” Ryan soothed, pulling him close, “I’m going to get you out of here.”

“Y-You can’t!” Jeremy whimpered, though he clutched Ryan’s jacket tightly, “You...d-did you kill them to get in??”

“No, your family said you asked them not to,” Ryan muttered, “Let me get you somewhere safe, then I can make sure they won’t hurt you again.”

Jeremy pulled back, shaking his head as he wiped his eyes.

“You can’t,” he repeated, “You can’t hurt them, please.”

“Then let’s just get out of here,” Ryan suggested.

“I can’t,” Jeremy sniffled, “I have t-to stay to protect everyone I care about.”

Ryan searched his eyes.

“It’s not just me,” he realized, “They threatened your family too.”

“If they succeeded my f-the Fakes die,” Jeremy murmured, “If they fail, _they_ die. The only thing that saves everyone is me staying.”

He was still clutching Ryan’s jacket tightly. Ryan was temporarily distracted by the sparkle below Jeremy’s ear. The earring just barely caught the distant moonlight. He reached out and touched the gemstone.

“You...or me,” he whispered. 

“N-No, no Ryan!” Jeremy dismissed frantically, “You have to leave! Th-This is my job! I did this so you wouldn’t have to!”

“I know,” Ryan assured him, “But you’ve been through enough. Let me take over from here. Let me stand in your place. Let me protect you.”

“Ryan, no!” Jeremy protested, “P-Please, I don’t want anyone to get hurt for me, especially not you!”

“It hurts me far greater to have you suffer for me,” Ryan answered, “I’m sorry, Jeremy, but this request I cannot fill for you.”

He stood and Jeremy tried to hold him back as he made for the door. 

“Ryan, please!” He cried, holding his jacket tightly in his fists.

Slowed by Jeremy’s strength, Ryan shouted, raising the alarm and bringing the crew down on them in seconds. Ryan calmly allowed himself to be disarmed and led to an office of sorts while Jeremy followed, face pale and hands shaking. Ryan would’ve traded his life just to see him grinning again. 

Ryan was put in front of a desk, an older person sitting on the other side. They had silver hair and brown eyes. They were smoking and Ryan could see the fishhook logo on the back of their hand. The leader of the crew, no doubt. 

“Well then, you got him after all,” they croaked in a raspy smoker’s voice, with a heavy Bostonian accent.

They snapped their fingers and Jeremy hurried around the desk to their side. Ryan could not describe how furious that made him, but he quelled the anger. _I have to control myself for him._

“So, Vagabond then,” the person muttered as they passed something to Jeremy, “You came here willingly. What is your plan?”

“As I understand, you have an agreement with the Fakes,” Ryan answered, “If I come quietly and do as you say, Rimmy Tim is free to go. I would like to make good on this agreement.”

“Uh-huh,” the leader grunted around smoke, “How I know you’ll keep your end? What’s to stop you from turnin’ on us the second Shrimp is out of sight?”

“He has requested peace,” Ryan replied evenly, “And I will follow this request as long as he is allowed to do as he wishes.”

“Well, then, how ‘bout you show us?” The leader suggested, “Show ‘a loyalty. Take off the mask.”

Jeremy winced.

“He doesn’t take it off for anyone, sir,” he mumbled.

“Quiet, Shrimp,” the leader growled.

Jeremy looked at Ryan with concerned, frantic eyes. _Don’t do this, just leave!_ He seemed to plead. 

“As you request, boss,” Ryan spoke quietly.

He pulled the mask from his head and dropped it to the ugly gray carpet. 

“How did you do it, Shrimp?” The leader chuckled, “What’d you do to convince the big bad wolf not to eat you?”

Jeremy hesitated. The leader reached over and gripped his hair, yanking him down. Ryan stepped forward, fists clenching and the room tensed. Jeremy was bent, head down with the leader’s hand still fisted in his hair, but he was accepting it calmly. Ryan’s eyes flicked between Jeremy’s scars, just visible above the collar of his shirt and the cigarette in the leader’s other hand. His fists shook at his sides. The leader’s eyes sparkled with sick delight. He almost looked like Jeremy like that.

“You gave the tin man a heart, eh?” He laughed, “The Vagabond in love. How fuckin’ adorable is that? Well, he’ll definitely do what I say then, won’t you Vagabond? As long as I don’t hurt your little crush?”

His cigarette moved toward Jeremy.

“Yes!” Ryan blurted, “Yes, I’ll do as you say! Don’t hurt him!”

The leader laughed cruelly as he pulled the cigarette back and then yanked Jeremy’s head up by his hair, forcing him to look up at Ryan. Tears leaked from his soft brown eyes. 

“Kneel,” the leader growled.

Jeremy tried to drop as Ryan did.

“Not you, moron,” the leader sneered, releasing Jeremy and shoving him away, “Jacket and shirt off, Vagabond.”

Ryan obeyed, though he burned with anger and disgust. 

“Now, the reason we wanted you,” the leader began, “Wasn’t just to make you our little bitch or whatever. You recall when you worked on the East coast? Happened to kill some of our people.”

_ Revenge. How dull. _

“So Barry here is going to teach you what happens when you fuck with family,” the man continued.

Ryan didn’t flinch at the crack of a whip, but Jeremy did.

“W-Wait, wait, please don’t hurt him!” He cried turning back to the leader.

He dropped to his knees, nearly disappearing behind the desk.

“F-Father, please, don’t do his!” He begged.

_Father._ That was why he didn’t want to kill them. 

_ Smack! _

Jeremy grunted as his father backhanded him across the face.

“Don’t!” Ryan shouted, “I will only cooperate if you don’t hurt him!”

“You haven’t grasped the situation yet, have you?” The leader snorted, “You’re unarmed, in a room full of armed men with your weakness right in the middle, ready to get caught in the cross-fire. Neither of you are gettin’ outta here. Get up, Shrimp.”

Jeremy stood and was gripped by the hair, bent over again. This time as the glowing cherry of the cigarette neared the back of his neck, Ryan couldn’t keep back the torrent of emotions any longer. He hoped Jeremy would forgive him. He rolled, yanking a knife free of his boot and hurling it at the leader’s face. He swept the legs of the nearest man, snatching the gun from their hand and aiming. 

“Ryan, no!” Jeremy screamed.

Ryan fired. The man who abused Jeremy was dead as the bullet went through his forehead. There was two seconds of stunned delay that Ryan used to duck behind the desk. Jeremy was crying, but he yanked a gun from the dead man’s belt and the two of them traded fire with the others left in the room. Luckily for them, it seemed the Fakes had tailed Ryan and they entered the fight before Ryan’s anxiety of being vastly outnumbered really got a chance to set in. It was a total war zone and both Ryan and Jeremy were injured by the end of it. 

Ryan watched Jeremy’s dead-eyed stare as the FAHC medics patched them up. He felt his guts shifting inside him, squeezing with anxiety and rolling with the memory of his first kill. Killing family didn’t feel great, even if they were horribly abusive. Once the medic cleared him, he shuffled over to Jeremy, sitting in front of him. He squeezed his knee.

“Jeremy?” He called softly.

Jeremy’s head turned and his dead eyes locked with Ryan’s.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Jeremy whispered.

Ryan’s heart squeezed. 

“I’m the eldest surviving son,” Jeremy muttered, “It’s my duty to go back home and take over the family. And if I don’t, they’ll come here looking for revenge on you and the Fakes. You killed a big part of my blood family and separated me from my chosen family.”

Guilt punched into Ryan’s gut like a fist.

“Jeremy, I...I’m sorry,” he murmured, “I-I’ll go with you, I’ll help you.”

“I think you helped enough,” Jeremy dismissed coolly, “Go home, Vagabond.”

Ryan flinched at the sound of his code name in Jeremy’s icy tone. The pain he felt before was nothing in comparison to this. Because now he felt the pain of knowing his mistake hurt Jeremy. Guilt was much harder to swallow than loneliness.

~

Jeremy and what little remained of the family that father had brought with him, were back in Boston by the end of the week. His mother was less than thrilled, but with him as the eldest, she had to accept that he was the head of the family now. 

As the third youngest of eight and the runt of the litter, Jeremy was never meant to take the position. He’d been shocked his father had gone all that way to track him down, shocked his father saw any value in him at all. But it turned out that news coverage on one of the Fake heists was the reason for it. Apparently he realized Jeremy was actually a good criminal and seeing as Jeremy was his son, he belonged to him. Well, it was only right he retrieve the valuable asset that belonged to him. 

It made Jeremy want to throw up. Partially because even with value, his father treated him like an ashtray. Partially because he was actually fucking glad. Of course all he’d ever wanted was to have value to his family. After all, all they ever told him was that he was worthless. Even more sickening was he wondered if they hadn’t killed his father and brothers, if he’d just gone home with them, if he’d ever have become more than the ashtray. 

He hated that he actually wanted that opportunity to prove himself to some of the scummiest people on the planet. Scum or not, they were family and he couldn’t change that that meant something to him. It’d been beaten into him for it to mean something. And now he was going to change the meaning, he was going to make the Dooley Family better. They would thrive and by the time his eldest nephew took over, their definition of family was going to match the Fakes’ definition.

However, he would never see the Fakes again. Or Ryan. He would miss them. He would wake up crying out for them. He would cry himself to sleep thinking of them. And he would always remember the beautiful memory of them. 

He puffed out smoke as he toyed with the gemstone dangling from his earlobe. But that’s all they would be: memories. He stood, stubbing out the cigarette and turned to go back inside. He had made his choice and they had made theirs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the endddd. I did say it would end sad. 
> 
> Anyway, as usual, @1stworldmutant to find out how to be a patron saint and get extra stuff. Or you can send me a message request if you’d like to talk about anything. As always, may your paths stay lit, little stars~✨!


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